Inertia I
by MadamGrandAdmiral
Summary: AU. Grand Admiral Thrawn’s legacy lives on through his heir, but will she survive as the consequence of her parent’s disastrous union? Or will the truth of their past drive her from her destiny completely? Part One COMPLETED
1. Beginning of the End

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Star Wars, or the Expanded Universe. I make no profit from the writing of this fanfiction.

I **do** however own the characters Dania Laquila, Dsai'llyana (Illyana) and Tis'taliae'nuroudo.

_**I dedicate Inertia to my close friend Flessen, who despite hating Thrawn and the Imperials, encouraged me to actually discover EU nearly a year ago. 60 books later, and here is the fruit of my labour and perseverance. He gave me something very special to him, and so I offer him a gift in return, in the form of over 7 months of planning and writing.**_

_**May Warriors Fortune Smile Upon You. All My Love. Your Cysyadry xxx**_

**Inertia I: Child of Destiny**

**Chapter One: Beginning of the End**

The Private Command Centre was dimly lit, as bare as it had been the last time he had sat in this chair, the usual trappings of an Imperial commander missing. There was a careful humility to the room, as if the owner had nothing to prove, and yet, eerily, it seemed that they were confident in their abilities.

Grand Admiral Pellaeon looked thoughtfully at the young woman who spoke, seated in the command chair of the _Chimaera, _looking at him with vaguely glowing red eyes, a self-amused smile upon her face. The guest had only been upon the _Chimaera_ for a few hours, and she was already settling herself in.

She carefully reached for the bottle, and refilled his glass, her free hand searching for her own. Yes, she was definitely self-assured; her actions seemed to exude a confidence in herself. This first personal meeting would undoubtedly be a test of some sort, on her half, but he was preparing himself to measure her, too. So alike her father.

Distractedly, he considered his motives for entering the chambers. His hand still clasped the chip that had been found in the Empress' hands, discovered by the coroner a few minutes previous. He'd come to Dsai'llyana with the intention of questioning her about it, and somehow wound up sitting before her, sharing a drink with her.

There were many questions that he needed answers to, the temporary distraction of the impersonator, Flim, now over. The emergence of the long-thought dead Dsai'llyana, her guardian Staliae, and her mission to reclaim the Empire as her own would have to be addressed; as would the investigation into the apparent suicide of Dania Laquila, the Supreme Ruler of the Empire.

Dania would not have killed herself without reason; her fear of something must have been great for her to have poisoned herself. He had the sneaking suspicion it had something to do with this strange child, and the impersonator of the Grand Admiral Thrawn.

But his mind returned to the present situation, and the problem of succession now presented to him. Despite her claims, the Grand Admiral Thrawn would only have allowed him to accept an heir he thought worthy to be entrusted the Empire, not purely by who her parents were. And he, Gilad Pellaeon, would be a fool to allow something as trivial as parentages determine who he would hand over control of the Empire too.

Much had changed since last he served under a Chiss; the Empire had all but fallen, pride alone keeping it together, the memory of what it had once been the beacon for the youth still left to aim to restore. But the old knew that it was over; though few would admit it, the pursuit of military gain was a futile waste of life.

In the hands of the one before him was the future of the Empire, and like the Grand Admiral Thrawn before her, his confidence in the inexplicably accurate Chiss insight urged him to dream of a campaign of invasion, of reclaiming what had once belonged unquestionably to the Empire. Even if these goals had not been what had inspired Thrawn's moves against the New Republic ten years ago.

But this thought was over-ruled by logic; it was impossible for what had once been Imperial territory returning to them. The New Republic offered a great deal more than the Empire ever could, and even if they remained independent, they did not welcome Imperials near their systems. Damage that had taken the Emperor years to cultivate would ultimately be the destruction of his dream, his New Order of control through terror.

His attention returned to the present, and as he withdrew from his reverie he realised that Dsai'llyana was watching him almost thoughtfully.

"It is ironic, is it not, that the Empire has unravelled itself; policies that once held sway over billions of life forms through terror and fear do nothing but drive allies away" She said, very matter-of-factly, as if resuming a conversation they'd been having. "It will be difficult for this Empire to reverse the damage done by a previous ruler; Mitth'raw'nuroudo found it challenging, and that was before you had been driven into a mere eight sectors."

"Do you intend to take control of us and accept our territory as your own?" Pellaeon asked; her appearance was deceiving; like Grand Admiral Thrawn, she seemed to be calm, and yet…He got the feeling that if needed, she would act as decisively and as devastating as he had. She seemed to be testing; another trait of his former Chiss ally.

"Would your Empire find that so unacceptable?" She questioned. Her gaze seemed to intensify, those unchanging eyes narrowing in a way that belied her confidence, an unreadable curl of her upper lip.

He wasn't intimated per se, but there was something unnerving about this …she reminded him strongly of a child imitating her parents, except the cruelty was she wasn't imitating; she was living, and succeeding. And so he made a bold move; he answered her question honestly; her reaction would be proof enough of her intentions.

"I am tired of war, my lady, I have tried to defend those under my authority for nearly 3 decades, I have seen our numbers dwindled, and many fine officers and friends die, as a result of incompetents making decisions, and as a result of betrayal." He sighed deeply. Even after so many years, the hollowness still remained, the shock that a mind as brilliant as his had been beaten by an enemy he had never even contemplated…a cruel irony. Everyone had felt the loss of the alien Grand Admiral, even the most rapturous of xenophobes, and the Empire had only descended into even deeper chaos after the death of the last Grand Admiral.

"The Grand Admiral Thrawn was especially a painful loss, both to morale and as a leader, he was valued. With you alive and capable to lead us, I do not believe anyone will contest your right to rule us." He gazed at her hardly, sure even she could feel the weight of the burn.

She nodded; perhaps he had passed her test after all. Relaxing back into the chair, she exhaled deeply and after a pause, began to speak again.

"I imagine, Admiral, it must be strange for you, having taken orders from my father, and seeing me now in his place."

It was unnerving, reliving these feelings after a decade of them lying buried; feelings and reactions he immediately connected to the Chiss Grand Admiral were now confused with Dsai'llyana. It was mind blowing; the woman before him was the 3 year old who had vanished the day her father was murdered, the spitting image of her mother, and yet coloured like her father, with his attitude, his morals…

"I had never considered his daughter would have taken up his mantle; but that is my Imperial conditioning, we do not encourage our daughters into battle." He paused. Daughters weren't encouraged to do anything except getting married to a suitable candidate. "I see that it a mistake; you are clearly equal to any of our most experienced commanders, and you are but a child when compared to them."

Her smile became genuine at this, reminiscent of his former Empress and her benevolence. In all the years since his last discussions with a Chiss, he'd forgotten the sensation that followed the realisation that they were observant to the point of unnerving. With the new alliances, however, he supposed that with the not-insignificant number of Chiss belonging to the Empire would grow considerably.

"You are most kind, Admiral. But I digress; you asked me earlier to explain the situation that led me to you." She drank deeply, and replaced her glass, before looking at him in a searching way. He blinked; he knew it had to be in his head, there was no reason for her to look at him.

"I have been told very little of my childhood aboard this ship, Admiral, I remember it in a lot of detail, but only through a child's understanding. I remember my father and mother, and I remember fighting. I remember the love they had, and their love for me. But that is it; and I now know the truth to be very different." Her head tilted a little in enquiry. And then, conversationally: "Tell me, when did you realise my mother was insane?"

His eyes widened at this, he had not expected her to be so direct. He considered his answer, turning the unidentifiable chip over in his fingers before continuing. "No one knew; only after the Grand Admirals death, when she was assigned a new doctor and he went through her records. It appears Staliae was prescribing anti-depressants for her, as well as numerous other drugs of unknown origin. With the death of the Grand Admiral, she appeared to return to normal." He nervously ran a hand through his hair. "I am not accusing him of foul play; clearly Thrawn's actions were for her protection. We could only conclude it was her feelings for him that caused her mood swings. She was prone to outbursts, but I, at least, assumed it was merely the stress a man and woman usually encountered."

"Did my parents resist the marriage? Did he love her?" She pressed on with her enquiry, interested, and leaning forward. Pellaeon bit his lip; this conversation was dangerous, she clearly unaware of a great deal, and he was only aware of a few of the particulars. It would be unwise to mislead her, or even continue it.

"Perhaps this is a conversation you should have with another, my lady. Your parents were my superiors; I did not question their relationship, or their feelings for each other." He spoke respectfully and truthfully; The Grand Admiral had been a very private man, and would not suffer invasions onto his privacy, or that of his family and those who knew him respected this.

She did not speak for a few moments, and then, she stood up, fingers trailing on the table, probing the back of his chair. He remained still, uncertain how to react. A few minutes later she returned, and handed him a datapad.

"This contains some information I know to have been encrypted by my father; it was entrusted to me through his aide, Tis'taliae'nuroudo, and was compiled during his time here, I believe this is what he wished me to know about them both. Any help you have to offer me would be appreciated."

Admiral Pellaeon frowned; He could not think why she would ask him; she was the genius, or at least the child of a genius. He really could not see how he could help her. Her eyes seemed to look at him sadly. She sighed, and began to explain, her voice wary.

"I know a great deal about the one you call Mitth'raw'nuroudo, how he thought, his reasoning, almost everything. But I do not know anything about my mother, and his relationship with her, I believe it has been purposely hidden from me, and that datapad is a record intended to answer my questions. I have solved every other problem my father has left behind for me, except this one." She smiled sardonically. "Though only half my heritage is Chiss, I have all of their stubbornness, and I will not rest until I get this final piece. I grew up without them, and their memories are very important to me."

Despite all the alienness that seemed to stalk her like a shadow, here she was, asking for help, looking as if any human would, her pale hand holding out the datapad to him, trusting her as Thrawn had once trusted him.

"Why would you entrust this to me? You have known me for hours." A niggling question that he had to ask; no matter how impertinent she thought him to be.

"I know how my parents both trusted you; I know how hard my father was to please, and so I see you as worthy. I also know how you have looked after my mother since my father's demise, and that it was not as easy as it could have been with her to guard also. Consider my trust a meagre gift for all you've given me."

He carefully scrolled through, a creep of remembrance. Differing colours, sizes and pictograms carefully appeared on screen. It was very familiar too…

"This is derived from Sithscrit."

"Are you sure?" Her eyes widened, her voice toning her disbelief.

"I've seen this language inscribed on Imperial Centre - Coruscant. I also know your parents communicated with it privately. I believe Dania was taught it by the Emperor himself, and she in turn shared the knowledge with Thrawn." Pellaeon said gravely, pouring over the foreign symbology. He could almost picture the adolescent Dsai'llyana, frowning at the unsolvable puzzle, the only thing preventing her discovering secrets precious to her. If she was anything like her father, it would have frustrated her secretly for years, always at the back of her mind, a stain on her thoughts and a slur against her comprehension.

"Then the trail ends." She sighed deeply. There was a deep pause, and the Grand Admiral rubbed his thumb against the tiny metallic chip, no bigger than his thumbnail. Could this be what she was looking for? "My mother may have known the whereabouts of the translation database, but as it wasn't a standard code, and only two people knew it…I'm stubborn, but I know when to give up." She threw the datapad down in defeat, and bent her head into her hands.

She was human. Like Dania, her reactions were honest. And it broke his heart to see her without hope; he could not imagine life without the beginnings his parents had given him, even the Commander Mynar Devis had had some degree of support and attention from him.

Carefully he placed the chip on the table, and pushed it towards her, waiting for her to look up. Her hand reached forwards, fingers outstretched, feeling the smooth wood, until she found the chip. With a slow grace, she groped for the datapad, and slid the chip into the port.

"Grand Admiral, I cannot read what it says." She said with a strong voice, as if disguising a breakage in it. Pellaeon felt his heart slip; how could she not read? Had he misunderstood what she had said in some way?

"Is it the wrong chip?" He assumed that it was just that it hadn't been translated properly, and Dsai'llyana was speaking of that. He hoped, he prayed it was merely that. If the data pad was over a decade old, it was likely to corrupt…but surely Thrawn would have known that?

"No." She sighed. "I …am blind."

"Truly?" Never, when she was a child, had he noticed; even now, he had not considered her inability to see. Though now the uncertain groping made sense, her dull eyes, barely showing any emotion in the usual Chiss way. She had clearly mastered the imitation of human mannerisms, and was obviously uncomfortable with her condition. She put the datapad down, and pushed it towards him.

"It was a well kept secret." She confirmed. "The Chiss are gifted with acute observation skills, and it is this which makes us able to see what is directly before us, without influence or bias. Did you notice how my father always kept the lights dimmed when he was off-duty?"

"I never considered the possibility your species had evolved so much more than my own." He realised how arrogant he sounded, and felt ashamed; he considered himself liberal, in comparison to others within the Imperial Remnant, and yet here he was, being shown up by a teenager.

"Our species are not so different; it is merely a naturally occurring chemical that has made our skin such a vivid blue, and necessity that had made my eyes this colour." She explained, leaning back in her chair. "If anything, the Chiss and Humanity are incredibly closely related, surely one of the closest in the galaxy. And I doubt it's a coincidence either. It is generally considered taboo for a Chiss to mate with a non-Chiss, for several reasons, but especially so because any child would be…" she strove for the word. "Incomplete. As I am."

"It seems your father was willing to break a great many of the regulations that his people set in place." Pellaeon mused. She stared at him with those red eyes; even without their glow, he could sense she was enflamed, the brilliant glow he'd expected from her father now a mere shade of glimmering red.

"The rules of the Chiss are out dated; see how quickly they will be abandoned with the Yuuhzan Vong threat." She did not sneer as she spoke, or have intonations of anger, or even sound unsure; she spoke confidently, as if predicting something as obvious as the sun rising.

"But we shall see; that is the future, I wish to know of the past."

Silence fell again, and Pellaeon looked down at the datapad, taking it up with a shaking hand.

Carefully activating the datapad, he began to read what had been left;

"Dsai'llyana, Child of Unity; congratulations upon reaching adulthood. By reading this, you will have met your mother, the Empress Dania Laquila, my wife. I hope that Staliae will have obeyed my instructions, and neglected to tell you a great deal about your mother and I; our relationship was overly complicated, and even today, I assume, shrouded with rumour and half-truth. This is an account from our perspective, complied in the first few months of your infancy, using diary entries and our own shared memories of the time of the New Order. My confidence in Staliae's abilities to have helped you mature and learn as the Chiss do is great; I wish that I could have been there myself. This has been created to be a lasting record for you; if you're anything like myself, you'll want to analyse it, understand every confrontation and motive; if you're like your mother, which I hope, you'll want to know how we met, and how we came to be married, purely because of empathy. Make your assumptions and judge us by what is recorded here, and not by uninformed hearsay. "

Silence remained.

"I will leave you alone; these are private."

The remaining files were audio. Pellaeon looked up at Dsai'llyana, her face unmoved, a tear falling down her face. He placed it down before her, and placed her hand over the datapad, and walked away, leaving her alone with the datapad.

* * *

MGA here, wishing everyone a good re-write! No major changes, just a few grammar errors and spelling mistakes. The plot still remaims the same...

...and reviews are still as valuable as gold to me!

MGA xxx


	2. Twist of Faith

**Disclaimer:** I do not own SW. Only my OFCs.

**Inertia I: Child of Destiny**

**Chapter Two: Twist of Faith**

Dsai'llyana carefully ran her finger along the edge of the datapad; this was it! A decade in her possession, and finally, she would discover the secrets kept from her since her childhood. But even as she felt the ecstasy of victory, she felt her logic tug her towards another, unwelcome, consideration. What was so truly bad about their relationship that would have to be kept from their child?

And another point; why was she so keen to know about her parents? She hadn't known them, so why? Was it as her father had suggested, and she merely wanted to analyse their relationship? Or was she more than merely another critical Chiss; did she truly want to understand whatever love they may have shared? Perhaps to fulfil or shatter childhood illusions she held for the day when all of her broken family would be reunited?

Until recently, Tis'taliae'nuroudo had insisted she keep her errant humanity under control, fearing what she could possibly feel, and the effects it would have upon her intellect. The infamous Chiss thinking required emotional detachment, aloofness and supreme confidence in ones abilities; something she, as a half human, would find difficult to achieve. But she had learnt, proving a great number of critics within her fathers Phalanx incorrect in their opinions of her. With time, she would equal him. But not until she faced the past, until she understand her parents, for whatever reason.

She had come too far now to turn back, she decided. Here, in her hands, was the answer, and so she would experience it; if she never discovered it, her conscience would never let her be. Her hands shook – Inhaling deeply, she tapped the pad, the familiar and yet painful voice of the father speaking;

"I am Mitth'raw'nuroudo, formerly a Syndic of the Chiss Expansionary Defence Fleet, currently the military leader of the Galactic Empire, and father of Dsai'llyana. Dania Laquila is my spouse; married for the unity and security of the Empire. Though we have a history of alliance within the Imperial Court, we had never been lovers in any sense before our ceremony. Dania was officially an 'entertainer' of the Court, a seeming nobody, but she carried a secret, unknown to all except the Emperor. She was a noble woman, of innocence and yet oddly experienced. Dsai'llyana, Illyana; you are of aristocratic birth, despite your mothers humble background, and all evidence is saved in this datapad should anyone contest it. But to understand, you must study the subject from the beginning, and so I must take you back to an uncertain date, when the Emperor and his future assassin went to a hidden planet…"

* * *

The bleak embrace of endless real space welcomed the two occupants of the shuttle back, infinitesimally small stars returning to their pinprick forms as the pseudo-motion of hyperspace fell away. The shuttle began to glide effortlessly through the sea of stars, a beeping as a course was laid in.

The small girls' eyes widened as she took in the sight of the approaching planet, the perfect serenity and silence of space travel a new revelation to her young mind and a sharp contrast to the violence she had recently experienced. She'd never travelled through open space before, though she had often dreamed of such a thing, running away, and joining a pirate band, or being the first female Imperial ace pilot…

It seemed now, however, that those dreams would be terminated. A little over 12 hours ago, she had been taken from her homeworld by her new 'companion'. She did not understand why, and she was afraid to ask the aged man who piloted the shuttle why he had escorted her away, without so much as a goodbye to the parents who had loved her. She feared they were dead, and knew, somehow, that they were no longer.

Her tears had finished now, though her eyes were still red-rimmed. It was outside of her power to return to her family, and so there had to be a purpose to her pain. Somehow, her destiny had to lay intertwined with this elderly man, she could feel it.

She had tried to study him earlier, but found he had withdrawn into the hood that cast a dark shadow over his eyes, leaving only wrinkled lips exposed. Though plain, it was clear he was wealthy and of considerable power, from the thickness of his cloak to the way he carried himself, despite his age.

Fidgeting in her chair, she still felt uncomfortable; she had the distinct impression it was her unwilling 'friend' that caused her feelings of unrest. Something about him felt somehow unnatural, and set her on edge, and at the same time excited her, filling her with energy she was too afraid to express. The atmosphere crackled with electric, it was almost painful.

Few words had passed between them, and this made her more uncomfortable. She detested the silence, and yet, she did not know what to say. She was a mere child, what would she express that he already did not know? And yet even as a captive of sorts, she had not been lashed to the chair, or prevent escape. It was his mere presence that paralysed her so, and this in itself scared her.

"I feel your conflict, child. You need not fear me, only obey. No harm shall come to you."

He spoke in barely more than a whisper, and yet it held her attention. "You are strong, little one, and this is why I have chosen you above all else." He turned his head to her, and yellow eyes fixed upon her, in as close to a tender look as the embittered man could manage. She broke the gaze, and fixed her eyes ahead, on the small planetoid that they were closing in upon.

"Chosen me for what?" She dared; her lips barely moving. He said nothing more on the subject, and she settled back into her chair, preparing to land on the small planet that had arisen before them.

The red haired girl was led inside a fortress of what appeared to be an ancient temple, worn grey stone rising up before them from where the place the shuttle had touched down. It seemed almost sacrilegious, such a modern device resting upon the altar of some ancient forgotten god. The world around them, for miles, seemed to be shrubbery, tall trees hiding whatever creatures may have inhabited the world, an unnatural mist hanging a few centimetres clear of the top-most leaves, shielding the canopy.

She had to run to keep up with her host, not realising she had been staring at the horizon, the light in the tunnel turning from dim sunlight to bright UV lights, built into the ceiling, wires wrapping like vines over the faces of long-lost idols. Before them, dark metal doors, frozen shut and impenetrable, loomed out of the artificial light, a sinister feel to the too-shiny metal. It felt so wrong, this intrusion into an ancient culture; even if its worshippers were long dead… A code was tapped into a panel by a hand, withered as a prune, and the blast doors before them opened, allowing them both access into the private storehouse.

The girl child had never seen anything like it; thousands upon thousands of metal cylinders rose up before her, covered in dust. Dim lights cast an ominous image, harsh contrast and deep shadows making the image before her all the more disturbingly surreal. To her, the complex seemed to be a dirty secret this decrepit old man was hiding away until the opportune time. She did not understand what they were; only that she should never reveal what she had seen.

There were other things, too. Treasures plundered from decimated planets, some worthless but for sentiment, others inlaid with so many precious stones it put even the Imperial Palace, with its twinkling panels, to shame. She extended a hand to touch a delicate figure, only to feel it collapse in her hand.

"Worthless, child; beauty is worthless within this galaxy, unless it is supported by power." He trod on the visage of the long-necked beauty, her painted face powder beneath his foot. Palpatine seemed amused by her awe; the child would lose that, he would make sure it was driven from her.

He indulged it, however, for the time being, considering her feminity and her age. Leaning down to take her hand, she tugged her towards one of the cylinders at the far end of the hidden chamber. His secret; his pride and joy.

Unlike those she had seen before, this one was lit; a sinister light outside it flickering, the glass reflecting the cool blue.

"Isn't she…perfect?"

Standing upright, a person lay in the shiny metal pod; another eerie light illuminating pale skin, make it almost transparent, long eyelashes twitching against the soft skin of her cheek. Impossibly long hair tumbled down her shoulders, covering what looked to be a naked body, lips a pale shade of pink. She looked doll-like and breakable, despite her adult height. Like the figure that had fallen just in her hand.

"She is pretty." Palpatine smiled at this innocent admission, her voice almost wistful.

"'She' is to be the future of my Empire, little one; though you are the only one apart from myself to know." His hand reached out to caress the glass pane over her cheek, his expression unreadable, something twisting between restraint and desire within him. She had seen that look before, and knew better than to question it. "She holds an important secret within her."

"You can trust me." What else could she say? He terrified her, and the look he gave her was more threatening than any retort he could have fired back. It assured her silence through threat of what punishment he might hold especially for her. Tapping in some keys on the panel beside the glass view slot, the light sequencing changed, and the person within opened their eyes briefly, before losing consciousness again.

"She will be returning with us to the Imperial Palace." He spoke with finality, daring her to argue with him. She merely nodded, horrified at the expression of realisation that had dawned upon the young woman's face, only to fade into submission as the oxygen supply was depleted.

"Won't your secret be easy to learn if she returns with us?" She asked innocently, enquiring a niggling doubt that was pressing her to break the silence.

"No. Imperial Palace hides many secrets, and when you arrive, you will see why." Palpatine chuckled; out of the thousands of rooms, surely one especially lonely one would be house his pretty clone until she matured fully… "Now come, my dear Mara Jade. The future awaits."

* * *

Her hand lashed out, the small dagger clasped in her hand burying itself deep into the torso of the droid's metal casing, short circuiting it in a clatter of collapsing parts. Sweat poured from her, the fine clothes she had been given uncomfortable, and still she continued the onslaught against the unseen enemy, droids falling to the floor as she carved them down.

Personality had not yet been accessed in her mind, only the urge to fight onto the death; of either her invisible adversary or herself. She felt no fear, no anticipation, just obedience to her master. She had been trained well. What was once a weakened female form was now supple and strong, without appearing over bound with muscle or lacking in femininity. Both her looks and her strength would be vitally important to her future role.

Mara Jade's eyes followed the woman's progress blindly, her well concealed feelings reacting to the appearance of this barely remembered figure from her past. As an Emperors Hand, she had seen a lot of fighters, she'd killed a high percentage of them; it couldn't be the movements which made her feel like this.

A lot had changed since that small frightened girl had been taken from her parents; that girl had grown into a young woman, tempered by the danger of being a Sith Masters favourite, educated by the knowledgeable and the skilful alike. She knew a dozen ways to kill someone with her bare hands; so why did a teenage girl give her this awkwardly uncomfortable feeling?

Upon entering the room, all that had been present was the well dressed teen, kneeling submissively before a table, clutching a teapot and pouring into a cup for the hooded figure seated before her. Mara Jade hung back when she saw the raised hand of the hooded man, her own danger sense screaming at her.

Her senses proved accurate as a trio of droid warriors loomed through the darkness, attacking the pair at the low table. The female kicked, whirling around as the weak neck joint broke, yanking a dagger from her ankle strap as the other two closed in. Thrusting the knife hand behind her, and the free one forward into the circuitry of the droid, both collapsed in time for another group to emerge.

Mara Jade walked carelessly over the droid carcasses, following the summons of the hooded ones hand, and sat, taking the now abandoned pot and pouring herself a drink.

"Do you think she's ready?" An aged voice cracked, speaking to Mara with a hint of amusement lacing his tone. Mara Jade looked around, her nose wrinkled in disdain. It was messy, very messy. Not to her taste or style.

"I suppose she gets her job done." She sipped at the small cup. "Is this your plan? To plant automaton assassins in Court? Is it really getting so dull?"

Their conversation was punctuated by the death throes of the mangled droids, their shut-down protocols exploding to prevent any battle knowledge being downloaded by any unwanted beings. No sooner had a droid exploded, that another collapsed to the floor and performed the identical action, soon to be mirrored by another.

"Predictability is becoming more and more frequent; I had hoped that things would liven up with the Grand Admirals so set against each other…Did you find any information on Zaarin?" Palpatine asked, smiling as he watched the destruction.

"No. And I won't; he's too clever for that." She replied. They had both known it was a futile move to investigate the increasingly discontented Grand Admiral's assets and holdings; his mutinous feelings were High Treason, and would not be shared with anyone. But they had tried. And she knew where to plant evidence, if she should ever need to.

"Well then, it looks like I'm going to have to force his hand…" The ancient face smiled crookedly; "You need to deliver this for me, I trust no one else's discretion as I do yours."

She took the offered slip of flimsiplast and the address on top, her eyebrows raising slightly as she read the name and the place of residence.

"You're sure? You could have a political explosion on your hands." She didn't want to believe her mentor would be so careless as to allow the Court to rip apart the one prospective hope for the future Unknown Region conquest.

"Trust, Mara. I thought we had established that between us many years ago…" He shook his head, as if disbelieving her lack of faith in him. Really, he knew she was merely playing it cautious, satisfying her own curiosity and impulses as well as the safety of the Empire.

"I've never told anyone of your little project, have I, my Lord?" She cast a look at the still-fighting woman, her shoulder now exposed and bleeding, a droid apparently having gotten a clean shot at her.

"I told you once beauty was nothing without power to support it. Dania will prove my point by proving to be the distraction the Vice Admiral denies himself." Palpatine smiled and drained his cup, and placed it back down. The conversation was ended, Dania could feel his concentration shift away to the fighting woman.

Mara suddenly realised exactly what it was that had made her uncomfortable; she was used to the duplicity of her master, marvelled at the genius it took to manipulate the entire Court so well. It was that this was something new; Court would not expect any of this.

For such a delicate creature to suddenly leap from that role into a mindless defender, laying her life down for someone who so clearly had the situation under control…she sensed something about this woman, something big. The Force was with her, and yet not…at least not in any real sense, for her to manipulate. It made no sense.

Shaking her head, Mara dismissed it, ruefully wondering if she was losing her touch. Since when had she cared what became of faceless nobodies? Dismissing the entire memory of the woman, Mara bowed to her Emperor and left the room and the mindless devastation behind.

* * *

Dear readers;

This is supposed to be an explanation of the timeline, and to define the AU in which Inertia exists, but I would also like to thank you all for taking the time to read my efforts into the amazing realm of SW EU; this is not some meaningless authors note, but a genuinely grateful author. Nothing makes a story popular except for those who take the time to read it. I've come a long way in the 5 years or so since I first began to write, and I have a good feeling that Inertia will be the best that I will ever write.

The realm in which Inertia exists is very close to the original SW timeline; I've gone to great lengths to make sure that everything is as accurate as I can make it; if you find anything questionable or incorrect, please feel free to leave a comment and I will endeavour to either change my storyline or find a suitable explanation. Certain events have to be changed, clearly, to allow Dania and Dsai'llyana; I ask only that you enjoy it, and if you feel so inclined, comment at the end.

Again, many thanks to you all, May the Force be with you!

MGA xxx


	3. Breaking Plans

**Disclaimer:** I do not own SW. I do own my OFCS though.

**Inertia I: Child of Destiny  
**

**Chapter Three: Breaking Plans**

"Beware of Mara Jade; when I was last aware, she was with the smuggler Talon Karrde, working under him. After the destruction of the Emperor's second battle station Death Star, she vanished, and found crime replaced the loyalties she once had to the Empire. It was no more than five years later when I myself came into contact with this clone, who had been named Dania Laquila…"

Dsai'llyana sat back, reclining in the chair, to get comfortable. Clearly, this was going to take some time. Being without visual memories, as a child she had treasured the sounds of voices, their tones, the subtleties to the breathing patterns of those around her. Her memory was as clear as it had been then; sitting here listening to the sound of Thrawn's voice was like she was sitting beside him, addressing him personally, as she had back as a child. It hurt her, somewhere deep inside. Perhaps her humanity had been underestimated.

"The Emperor controlled his galaxy at first through the Senate, though this was little more than a rubberstamp on his own personal ideas on how to rule. Increasingly, he was listening more to the Court that had began to evolve around him, a combination of military leaders, lords and those desperate for some scrap of power. Eventually Imperial Court became the most influential body of people, but it was also one of the most dangerous. Everyone served their own ideals and for their own advancement, and so political feuds and intrigue began to intertwine. One had to be very cautious with whom one allied with, and against…Your mother arrived as a geisha, one of the lower classes at court, though still pureblood from the Core Worlds, and was added to the Court Harem. No one knew from where she came, or what her claim to nobility was, but she was favoured by the Emperor, and no one would question his words. Well trained and educated, she never knew the surreptitious schemes being laid down around her… "

* * *

"You've received an invitation to the Mid-Winter Festival?" Voss Parck looked startled by the news the Vice Admiral Thrawn gave him, his eyes widening a little. Those red eyes seemed to glimmer, trying to read his thoughts from his expression. "I was under the impression Court did not want you around for official engagements?"

"As was I, Captain. It was made quite clear last time that I was not welcome." Vice Admiral Thrawn sat backwards, leaving the messenger-delivered invitation on the table before them, as a witness to their debate. Very little was written on paper within Imperial Centre anymore, except these little calling-cards of Palpatine's political games. "It seems as if the Emperor is trying to rekindle interest at Court." He spoke thoughtfully, his eyes looking past Parck, and at the Coruscant skyline, the redness glowing a little brighter.

After a successful campaign in the Pakuuni system, Thrawn had returned to Imperial Centre, awaiting orders, frittering away the weeks he had accumulated of leave. He was disinclined to spend any time on Coruscant; his excuses to avoid Court were running out. When the young woman, dressed in the red of the Imperial household had left the invite in his hand, earlier this morning, he had considered his options carefully; To refuse would be grossly bad manners, and to go along, unprepared, would be suicidal. After a few minutes of analysing what exactly was written, Thrawn had decided to see what Voss Parck made of it.

Voss Parck would probably be the closest thing to a friend the alien Admiral would ever have; though close ally would probably be a better description. After discovering the Exiled Chiss, it had been the Captain who had bought Thrawn back before the Emperor and his officials; it had been Voss Parck who had made a gamble that could have earned him an execution for his boldness.

This display for an alien whose true name he had not been able to pronounce had touched Thrawn somewhere. And for that, Thrawn had made sure that the Imperial officer was reimbursed. Though Thrawn had long ago surpassed Parck in rank, they spoke as old friends did regularly, at locales such as this restaurant in a fashionable part of Coruscant, the Imperial Palace still within sight. A young waiter carefully placed their glasses before them, leaving them alone to their words again in seconds.

"I'm not so sure I like your tone, Thrawn." Parck replied after a few moments silence, his eyes narrowed, recognising the alien was plotting as they spoke, and wondering whether it was innocent or illicit manipulation. "You are seriously considering going along tonight, despite being aware that it's a trap? A little entertainment to keep the Emperor amused?"

"I was ill-equipped last time; I will not make the same mistake again." Thrawn rose the glass briefly, and replaced it back on the surface before finishing his point "You can't deny it, Voss, a little dabbling at Court would be a welcome distraction, for us both."

Voss Parck was not convinced.

"Entering Court without allies or power is potential suicide. You have very little of either. Those established like to stay that way, and they wouldn't welcome you, an alien of all people, into manipulating them." Parck spoke with a harsh tone Thrawn had rarely heard from the well-tempered Captain's mouth, and found a smile twitching his lips. Parck seemed to regain his composure, and apologised. "Excuse my abruptness, but Court does not possess the high mindedness that you do; they do not have morals or scruples when it comes to destroying their adversaries. And I would image that you will immediately be recognised as a grave threat to their authority."

"I labour under no illusions, Captain; I am certain the brutality certain members are rumoured to easily employ will be well founded. Which will require a little more preparation on my part."

"Preparation? The only preparation I recommend would be to wear blaster-proof clothing." Parck replied sardonically.

"Not a bad idea." He considered it thoughtfully. "But no; I have been asked to take a friend, as well as a Doll." Voss Parck paled visibly at these words. "You would be unwilling?"

"No…I'm shocked that the Emperor would allow you to take a Doll. I don't like this. It's too…convenient. For you to have been invited to Court, despite the anti-alien feeling at the moment, and then to request you to take one of his Dolls…there is something afoot." Parck looked highly uncomfortable; he was not adverse to a party, but the dangers presented by Court did not interest him as much as they seemed to affect Thrawn.

"I agree. But there is only one way to find out what game is being played against us, Captain. We have to play ourselves in." Thrawn spoke confidently, despite realising at least half the Court would be a potential enemy because of their involvement with COMPNOR and the High Human Culture Program.

The Chiss liked to believe that they alone had the most intriguing and intellectual of cultures; Imperial Court, however, was on a totally different level. The High Families were inclined to ruin careers and banish dangerous individuals, but Imperial Court had a tendency to threaten the lives of anyone who dared to involve themselves. Whilst humans did not have an intuition as deep as the Chiss, their talents for treachery and double-dealing almost matched the manipulation the Aristocras and Commanders used effortlessly. It was certainly make for an interesting shore leave.

"You're willing to risk Court? With a promotion this close?"

"This is about as far as I hope to advance within the Empire; any further will be risking the anger of the Core World aristocrats." Parck knew he spoke from experience; the Core World Families had argued most ardently against ever allowing an alien into the fleet; only when they had seen him easily surpass the most stringent of entrance examinations and physicals did they allow an alien into their Empire Hierarchy, albeit reluctantly. Parck had often wondered how Thrawn kept himself together; in the face of so many hidden enemies, how did his confidence and his ego remain in balance?

"You deserve a promotion. At least 4 of those named Grand Admirals at the New Years Fete should not have even had their names put forward." Parck muttered bitterly. A great deal of the military had been displeased at the appointment of such important figures, most of which had little to offer except their families loyalist support. Of course, no one disputed Demetrius Zaarin or Osvald Teshik, who had both paid their tour of duty and had earned their rank. Parck returned his thoughts to Thrawn, and found the alien deep in thought, a small smile on his face.

"I'm unsure; the Emperor is surely getting paranoid in his old age, what is that adage that seems to govern Imperial Court? Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer? It's a very clever game Palpatine is executing, and it looks as if I may be drawn into it." He leaned backwards, a thoughtful look on his face as he then returned his gaze to Parck.

"But what is Palpatine's goal? He knows you're one of the most capable leaders in his fleet, why should he seek to alienate you?" Parck questioned. This is why he disliked the Court, it was so hard to sort out enemies and intentions from allies and well-placed meanings. Nevertheless, he sensed an excitement from Thrawn, nothing obvious, perhaps the way his eyes glinted in that way, the almost-smile that kept tugging on his lips, the relaxed posture.

"Your guess is as good as mine. There is only one way to find out, and my curiosity is profound." He smiled wryly. "Dress well tomorrow, we have to go and select ourselves a Doll..."

* * *

If there was one location in the entire Empire more infamously soaked in murder, conspiracy and intrigue, it was the infamous House of Dolls, the living place of the Court Geisha. The mystique surrounding these women was deep; sometimes they merely served as silent hostesses, other times they acted as courtesans, hanging off the arm of whoever was powerful within Court at that moment. But nothing occurred within the Empire that the House of Dolls had not heard through the grapevine, even Imperial Intelligence had not established so strong a network of connections as the Geisha, and few had as much influence. 

Considered by many to be impure, the Geisha nevertheless continued to be a popular distraction within the Aristocracy, their mysterious behaviour always a cause for speculation. Always listening and paying attention to detail, information could be bought from them if enough was offered. The House of Dolls was not for just any male within the Court though; only the upper echelons, with especially granted permission were allowed access to the beauty that was caged in the exquisite rooms, and the temptations they offered.

The rooms where the House of Dolls existed were amongst the most lavish of the Imperial Palace; mirrors hung everywhere assuring the occupants of light and ever-changing colour, with long lengths of thin curtain hanging down from the ceiling. Numerous rooms lead away from the main circular room, each female that lived under the Harem's protection allowed a room for privacy between her and whoever may demand her company.

The newest addition to the upper class brothel, Dania Laquila, sat very still as the two women began to tug on her hair, scrapping combs to rid her long black hair of the knots it had seem to gather. They pinned it finally to her scalp with decorated pins, leaving enough hanging to still seem elegant and fashionable.

The young woman ignored the pain; it was not so bad, she reasoned, it was only a hair tug. Even if they had menace in their eyes as they dragged the painful teeth into her very skull; it was a punishment, she knew, for being sent the gift. The comb itself was very fine, inlaid with gold flowers, a delicate flower attached to the other side. The previous night, she had been taken out without an escort by one of the Grand Admirals, she hadn't even known his name, and this morning she had been sent the comb.

Though she had little in the way of presentation and reputation, it had been enough for him to be attracted to her, like a moth to a flame. In her late teens, she was considered old enough for marriage and pregnancy, and so no one gave a second thought to her feelings and aspirations, to her past or for her future; at the minute she was beautiful enough to be a doll, to earn her way and her keep in the Court of the Imperial Empire.

"You had better hope that you don't mix up any of your steps, girl, or I'll have you thrown back on the streets where you were taken from." Roganda spoke harshly, determined to quash the young woman's confidence to the floor, and grind it with her shoe. "I know you're from no nobility, your time here amongst the elite will be short lived."

Dania sighed. Roganda was the senior Geisha, and full concubine, her influence unparalleled by even the most skilled amongst the House of Dolls; for whilst a number of their colleagues may have caught the Emperor's eye, few had ever visited his bed more than once. Roganda had held that honour for a number of years, and jealously guarded what she saw as her right. It was his child she had carried, that he had seeded within her. Roganda had immediately disliked the younger woman, and had started unsettling Dania from the moment she had been left with her.

"Mistress Roganda, I will endeavour not to ruin the performance for you. " She bowed her head in respect to the elder female, only to feel a gnarled hand yank her head back straight again. The maids cussed her, and began combing again, needlessly.

"Little Miss had better not, or she'll suffer the consequences. Tonight is a vitally important occasion, and I will not be made look a fool by a mere apprentice. Do you understand me?"

An overly soft hand grabbed her chin, fingers digging into her cheeks as Roganda glared into Dania's light blue eyes. Realisation cracked through the young geisha as she understood the words; not only could she not fail, she could also not show up Roganda by being perfect.

"I will endeavour, my mistress…" She spoke, though it hurt as Roganda's fingers dug deeper into her cheeks. Finally she was released, and thrown backwards, fingernail marks still in her cheek, blood rising to the surface. The elder woman gave her a poisonous look, before walking towards the door.

"See to it you do. Dania Laquila…Or I will start to make life very difficult for you. Just because you have caught the attention of a Grand Admiral, do not believe you are superior. All too often do men feign love to tempt the naïve into surrendering their virtue." her upper lip curled in a sneer as she walked out, the long folds of her dress brushing the floor.

Roganda glanced over her shoulder at the docile female, her upper lip curled with disgust. That such a creature lived in Imperial Palace was deplorable, let alone being placed in the House of Dolls. Her poisonous thoughts were her only company, until a red dressed maid interrupted the silence, curtseying and silently handing a datapad over to her.

Roganda's eyes widened as she read the listings of those who had permission to take a Doll to the Mid-Winter Festival; surely, Palpatine had to be up to something, inviting an alien to take his pick of the most beautiful women in the Empire. But what could it be? Overcome with frustration at being unable to see the schemes, and anger at having to assign one of her dolls to an undesirable, a plot coiled itself around her, almost subconsciously…

A cruel smile dallied on her face as she glanced up again at Dania Laquila, idly wondering whether the young woman would ever recover from the setback she planned, and marvelling at her own cunning in destroying any hope the newcomer would have. She wondered how Tigellinus would react to losing Dania to an undesirable, and shivered with anticipation of the argument she would be responsible for.


	4. Brandishing The Gauntlet

Chapter Four: Brandishing the Gauntlet

"So you understand, Dania Laquila was a most interesting character, so many people had already begun to manipulate her, and she had not even arrived at Court. In case you are wondering how I know this information; the Intelligence network had begun to plant holocameras around the palace; during my time as Dania's right hand I made certain I used all the privileges available to me."

Dsai'llyana had relaxed back into her chair, sinking low, into a slouched position, curling in on herself. She had a stab of painful nostalgia, of a time when she had been smaller than she was now, and a Star Destroyer had been her entire universe.

Back when her family was still alive and together, her parents leading the united Empire forward against the pretenders leading the so-called New Republic. Back when it had been safe and easy, when she hadn't been so alone. Memories overwhelmed her, and before continuing the datapads' entry, she closed her eyes to embrace them.

There had been an argument between her mother and her guardian again, she had been too young to understand it at the time. Staliae had patience, but even that wore thin after months of contradictory ranting from a woman she was trying to protect.

Terrified, Dsai'llyana had escaped the room, recalling the way to the private Command Centre used by her father, following some unknown guide to lead her to her destination. It had been forbidden for her to go to the Command Decks; it was far too dangerous for a child, never minding her blindness, to be there. She rigidly obeyed her fathers' rules, but this once, it hadn't even occurred to her that she was disobeying him…

A tightly muscled hand pressed on her shoulder, she had squealed…to find the strange bodyguard that stalked her father rasping something at her. She had been about 9 months old, strong enough to walk and run, but still unable to talk and understand properly. The Chiss and Human ageing had clashed very badly, it seemed; it had taken her twice as long as an average Chiss to learn to speak and comprehend what she was hearing.

The Basic Rukh spoke made no sense to her; she was too tuned to the Cheunh spoken by her father and her guardian to understand anything but the most well spoken of Basic.

The stumpy alien propelled her forwards into a distinctly warmer room; she extended her hands, feeling no walls, trying to avoid obstacles. She had called out in Cheunh for her father, feeling petrified and lost, confused at all that had occurred. Tears fell, for the first time in her life, and one of the only times, she had cried without restraint.

Voices exclaimed in Basic, the intonation of the one who frequently spoke to her father whilst he was on duty, and the cool reply of her fathers flawless Basic, and arms carefully hoisted her up into a strong, warm embrace. Footsteps indicated the departure of the officer, and Dsai'llyana had felt a hand in her hair, calmly stroking the thick inky black strands.

What is wrong, child? What has made you disobey my rules? softly masculine, the voice of her father soothed her; Dsai'llyana felt her tears dry. There was something subtly strong in Cheunh, something utterly beautiful and terrible all in the same instance. Its alright, you're perfectly safe here with me.

Staliae and mother arguing, I was afraid. It was not nice, I do not like it, I do not understand Her Cheunh words were incredibly simple, her knowledge of creating complicated sentences still unfulfilled, but her meaning was clear. She was held there, pressed into her fathers' jacket, a softly stroking hand still supporting her head.

Tender moments shared with her father and herself had been few and far between, which made them all the more precious and worthwhile. It was not something that had bothered her a lot at the time, Staliae also had the same emotional detachment, but Dsai'llyana had never questioned the love and loyalty of her guardian.

How different would her life have been if he had survived that disastrous attack on Bilbringi? In her darkest moments, she had often daydreamt of the life that had been taken from her, never telling anyone of what she thought, fearing the repercussions. Chiss were always calm and collected; they suppressed their feelings so they would not affect their judgement…

But she was only half-Chiss, and too often strong emotion overcame her. Reading this datapad was testing her, it was not the prize for growing up and solving the riddle, it had to be a final test of her integrity.

Exhaling, she focussed again, wiping her mind of all except calm, breathing deeply to slow her heart and the flood of emotion. Yes, feelings were important, but she needed to pay attention, to assimilate every detail. With one last inhale, she taped the datapad to begin again.

Dania sat, her hands clasped in her lap, eyes glazed over as she listened intently to the approaching strangers, Roganda's eloquent voice recognisable but indistinctive. Carefully seated in the tea room, dressed in her daywear, the glasses and bottles meticulously set out before her, two empty chairs before her. Butterflies chased sunrays in her stomach as she waited.

Minutes ago, Roganda had entered her room with a smug smile, informing Dania of the arrival of her first client, and warned her against failing again. There was something not quite right about the smile, Roganda's eyes a little too bright, the smile too false. Something cruel was being woven around her, and she had not idea what it was.

The handle was pressed down, and three people entered; Roganda at the rear, a barely suppressed smile on her face, and two officers of the Imperial Navy. Dania's stomach fell away as she realised exactly why Roganda was so smug. Quickly standing and dipping into an elegant curtsey, Dania looked into the faces of the two, hiding the dread she felt grip her. Roganda really did hate her.

"This is Dania Laquila, the newest Doll to be given to us. She's young and well educated, though inexperienced in matters of Court. I am hoping she will make her debut with an officer of distinction, to give her the attention one of her talent deserves." Roganda said, the smile now turned into one of courtesy. "Unfortunately she is the only remaining unclaimed Doll, but a good choice. I shall leave you to your negotiations." Roganda bowed and took her leave of the room, though surely only to spy on them.

"I am honoured, my good sirs. " Dania inclined her head again, deciding to be the first to break the silence. "Would you care for some refreshment?" She swept her hand over the table, her eyes flicking between the two.

"Thank you." They both sat down in unison. Reaching forward, she selected the lightest drink she knew to be in the room, and carefully poured the elegant glasses full, half-filling her own. She needed her wits about her for this meeting. She could feel their eyes scald her, so intent on her appearance.

Both men looked at her with interest, taking in every detail of her appearance, possibly even admiring what she wore so well. The first was readable, a human captain, the rank insignia clipped straight and proud. His eyes of blue-grey did not rest on one place for longer; as soon as he had finished his analysis of her, he glanced suspiciously around the room, looking for a hidden threat only he seemed to fear. He did not agree with the House of Dolls; either with their influence or their very existence.

The second seemed to look through her with eyes of glowing red, piercing through her skull and into her mind. His intensity made her feel naked, his gaze taking in everything about her, and carefully scrutinising it in his head. She did not hazard a guess what he thought.

Whether her approved or not was not apparent, but Dania still watched his face for movement, for any indication of what he felt. She found herself distracted further by the deep blue of his skin.

"I am the Vice-Admiral Thrawn, and this is Captain Voss Parck." The alien spoke without an accent, his Basic perfectly formed. Sitting straight backed, he seemed the very personification of good mannerisms, neither leering at her nor showing disinterest. His companion did not seem very comfortable in the room, still nervously lancing around. She considered what to talk about.

"Your reputation is known to me, Vice-Admiral. If you have returned to us, your pacification of the Pakuuni system must have been successful?" She smiled as Parck looked surprised. "Captain Voss Parck, I hear your name often mentioned amongst the other geisha; your work in the Outer Rims has been a great assurance to us who live here in the Core."

"I only follow orders, Laquila. Order is required in the Outer Rim; though we claim them as territory, they are in fact still of dubious alliance." Parck answered rather stiffly, as if unsure of how much to tell her. She would manipulate that.

"What are the plans you both have for the future? Now your orders are over, what do you believe will be the next assignment?" Her eyes flicked between the two, wondering who would reply, and with what. Neither spoke. She baited them again. "NL-1 was a great success, Vice-Admiral, perhaps it is Imperial Research and Development which will engage you in the future?"

They didn't bite.

"You seem well informed for a newcomer, Laquila." Parck spoke, a harsh tone present in his syllables. Dania noticed this, and wondered further into why he was so uncomfortable. There was only really one way for her to reply to him.

"Not so well informed, Captain. I merely pay attention to the information the geisha share. And please." She lifted the glass to her lips, glancing over the top at the duo. Perhaps now they were on more of an even footing. "Feel free to call me Dania"

Her light eyes flicked at them, her smile confident. Too often, the House of Dolls was deemed a whorehouse, Officers were too quick to dismiss the amount of knowledge that had been gathered; these two were astute, that was clear, but her own personal ability needed to be proven.

"Very well, Dania. Perhaps we should just get to the purpose of our presence?" She nodded at his question. "We have received an invitation to the Mid-Winter Festival, and are required to take a Doll with us. It will be an ideal opportunity for this debut you require, if you are willing." He watched her reaction, those red eyes never leaving her. Was he attempting to make her uncomfortable? She avoided looking into them, her hair standing on end in response to his unblinking stare.

"A debut is indeed what I would like, but surely you yourself would appreciate a geisha of more experience than I. The atmosphere is explosive at the moment, and you would only further enflame the situation with your presence. I have an understanding, but no supporters or contacts. You will likely be thrown from Court again, but be permanently crippled."

"Do you say this because of a prejudice against non-humans? Or because you are genuinely concerned?" Thrawn asked; no accusation in his tone. She thought for a moment; why had she said that?

She glanced over him again; yes, there was something distinctly unnerving about that stare and the colour of his skin, but aside from that…she had been taken aback, certainly. But there was nothing negative she held against him. It was selfishness, self-preservation, which made her want to remain safe.

"I say this with no ill will intended. I do not care what race you are, what past crimes you may have committed. But COMPNOR supporters are determined to spill blood, and it is your uniform which will bear the stains. Court politics demands that those associated, however indirectly, with those defeated at Court, be punished as well. By being escorted by you, even this once, I will be remembered for making my debut appearance with you. I will fall with you." She sighed. "It would honour me to make my appearance with you; if your reputation is correct, you are a man of honour and integrity, but you are also a non-human. I cannot take the risk."

Silence hung between them for a few moments, as both sides considered what had been said. Thrawn knew he was being lied to; the painted smile of the geisha that had led him to Dania was as phoney as her cheerful attitude. By a long shot, Dania was not the only remaining geisha. But she was the only unallied one. And that was what he needed above all else.

Whispers had reached him of the interest shown towards Dania, especially from the Grand Admiral Tigellinus; it was a dangerous gamble, in stealing her away from him, but it would have the effect he desired, if it succeeded.

"What if I could promise you that I will not fall? That you will not suffer in Court?" His voice still remained level, the words appealing to her. He could see the cogs in her mind; despite the makeup, her expressions were still vivid, despite her effort to hide them behind an inch of rouge. Anyone in this kind of life craved the easy way out, a safety net, a Sponsor to protect them from the rest of the world. She eyed him cautiously; she was clearly tempted, but detected a trap.

"You cannot make such a promise." She said finally, taking another sip, never taking her eyes from him. She wanted to believe his words were true, but she did not dare to. Disappoint was not a taste she enjoyed.

"If I could? Would you appear at the celebration with my company and I?" He pressed his words deeper, wielding them like a weapon, carefully driving it deeper. She ignored his stare, and return one of her own, fixing him in place with a look that belied none of her uncertainness.

"If I could leave this world of secrecy and deception, I would give anything. If I could remain secure, protected by a Sponsor, I'd take it, even if it was offered by a Sith." She sighed, inclining her head slightly. Voss Parck glanced at Thrawn, who nodded. She was in a corner, and now the fight was over.

"I need a Doll for this appearance, Dania; you need a debut. We both have something the other wants. You fear the effects of my fall, and I do not want to disobey the Emperor by arriving without a Doll. What if I compensated you for your efforts, in return for your indulgence?" She looked up at this, interest in her eyes, intrigued.

"Go on." Dania asked, willing to listen to his offer.

"You have proven tonight that you have an ear for useful information; if I take you to Court, I will expect all information of relevance to be passed onto one of my associates or myself. In return I will support you if and when I fall. Depending on how well you perform at the Mid-Winter Festival, I will consider becoming your Sponsor."

"That's all you want? Information?" She asked tentatively, not daring to believe that was truly all that he wanted. There had to be a catch somewhere inside his words, something she had not noticed. She was dumbstruck; it was hardly the deal she was expecting. Forget disappointment, this might be her chance to escape the enslavement to the House of Dolls.

"You were expecting something else?" His gaze remained fixed on her, measuring her reactions. Those eyes got easier to meet when you got used to them, Dania considered, realising that she didn't shrink away from them as much as she originally had.

"I was expecting…personal requests." She phrased it delicately, not wishing to offend. She was certain even this alien had an ego, and insulting it would certainly not put her in a favourable position. Fucking anyone full stop disgusted her, even for advancement in Court, for protection…

"I do not desire an intimate relationship, meaningful or otherwise, with you. As you suggested, it leaves you in too much danger, and I have no interest in physical pleasure." He explained. No more was said on the subject, and so Dania merely nodded. "I will contact you before the celebration, so that we can all sit down in a less formal setting and make arrangements."

They both stood up to leave, Dania shadowing them.

"It has been a pleasure speaking to you; I hope it will set a trend for the remainder of our encounters."

They both swept out, leaving Dania alone to consider all that had happened, and how drastically everything had changed in one small meeting. Voss Parck had not liked her; Thrawn seemed indifferent. She sighed, wondering what exactly she was letting herself in for.

"She seems adequate, don't you think? Her sources, at least, are accurate." Walking through the corridors of Imperial Palace was similar to navigating a maze, and Voss Parck's habit of switching on his commlink hadn't quite been broken by several years away traversing the depths of space. People had gotten lost and died in Imperial Palace, and Parck did not intend to join them.

"I still do not see how having a whore can help you survive Court." Parck said dismissively. Generally, he could figure out what Thrawn was scheming, but in this instant, nothing made sense. There was something missing from the puzzle. He looked to Thrawn for the answer, and found the alien wearing a small smile.

"She is not just a random Doll; she is Tigellinus' next conquest. Or rather, she was." He said simply. Everything fell into place; the insistence that only one Doll remained, her connection to Tigellinus…Already, someone was attempting to destroy Thrawn, and he had not even officially arrived at Court! Sunlight flooded inside, shafts of bright illumination breaking the shadows of the palace, offering a respite from the darkness within.

"But why fall into their hands so easily? Why such blatant tactics?" Parck questioned, not understanding the need for Thrawn to play along with such an outright attack on Imperial Court's strongest member, who would surely destroy the alien for considering Dania. It was not Thrawn's style to be so obvious, so why abandon subtlety when it would serve him faithfully here?

"If I open with a bold move, it will take a bolder move to counteract it and return the advantage to him. It will be his turn to move. I will show that I am not willing to just bow down to their pressure again. However, that is not my main concern at present."

"What is your main concern?" Parck inquired, wondering what could possibly be more important than protecting ones career and life.

"Keeping my promise to Dania; she reminds me strongly of…" Thrawn paused for a moment, as if realising what he was saying, and corrected himself. "I met someone like her a long time ago, the first time I encountered the Empire. I was unwilling to destroy her naïveté, so I lied to her as well."

"With just cause. Do you think she is aware of Tigellinus' interest?"

"Most certainly; did you notice the comb in her hair-the white and gold flower? It's a common gift he sends out. She may not be aware of actually who he is, which would explain why she did not mention a name. With Tigellinus' rage will come a divide, we will know very soon who are potential allies, and who are certain enemies."

Dear All

I'm so glad you're all still here, following my story, nearly 200 of you have read the three already here! This makes the whole story-writing a lot more enjoyable, to know that so many of you are interested.

Currently, I have 2 reviews; please do take the time to let me know your feelings, or if there are any inaccuracies you would like to see corrected. Feedback is important for me to continue writing and improving. Thank you all for your time

MGA

Aryna: I'm glad you like Inertia, I'm even happier to see the two reviews you've left me. I hope this new chapter meets your expectations.


	5. Allusions Adopted

Inertia

Chapter Five: Allusions Adopted

Roganda looked down onto the plateau before the palace, seething as Dania was escorted onto the speeder by the Captain Parck, to be taken to wherever it was the Vice-Admiral lived whilst in residence on Coruscant. If Dania had simply gloated, like the other geisha did when they found a new client, Roganda could have dismissed it as petty, and assured herself that she had a safer life, a more secure Sponsor.

But Dania was quiet about it, and it frustrated her to the point of screaming. Even the promise of a political fight at Court did not lift her flagging spirits. The Vice-Admiral would surely dress Dania in the newest clothes, have them fitted especially for her, he'd look after her, protect her just as he'd promised. Dania was not unbeautiful; surely, he'd have her made up like a doll, almost like she belonged in his precious collection of art, wearing her on his arm as one brandished a new brooch.

She wondered if he would stay true to his word about not being interested in sex; everyone who came into the House of Dolls came simply for the purpose of choosing a woman and taking her home. House of Dolls existed for that purpose, and if he didn't want her for sex, then what did he want? It was all so very puzzling, and Roganda disliked not knowing anything.

Roganda frowned. Surely, he didn't believe the information Dania would be able to collect would be of any use to him? She had dismissed his words last night, certain he was making empty promises, but as she thought deeper about it…He did not seem to be the sort to seek out a Geisha.

"Pardon my intrusion, my lady, but there is an officer outside for you." The servant entered with her head bowed, afraid of whatever rage might grip Roganda. Her thoughts interrupted, Roganda fixed her with a scorching gaze.

"An officer? We get lots of officers here, girl. Which one?" she asked sharply. The servant winced away, burnt by the intensity of the expression upon her beautiful mistress' face.

"I'm unsure, but I know he called for Dania Laquila a few nights back?" The servant saw Roganda's face change to that of a spiteful sneer, and bowed, leaving her mistress and the Grand Admiral Tigellinus to their business.

Exiting her private rooms and sweeping into the entrance suite, Roganda's white made-up face remained impassive as she watched the uniform clad officer move towards her, through the billowing material folds of the curtains, his body language and expressions readable in the well lit room.

"My lord, what a surprise to see you again so soon…" Roganda put on her sweetest smile, sweeping into the entrance room, greeting the senior officer with a delicate curtsey. Tigellinus was certainly not the most attractive of Imperial Court, but his influence more than made up for it. Power was the aphrodisiac of Imperial Court. His white uniform glistened, radiating his rank, dazzling those who did not expect to see such a bright sight. How strangely deceptive appearances could be.

"Charmed, Roganda." He took her offered hand and kissed it delicately, the heady scent of her perfume almost knocking him unconscious. Straightening quickly, he fixed his expression upon the Head Concubine. "I would like you to summon Dania for me; I have to speak to her about a private matter."

"Oh, my lord? I hope it is not bad news?" He pursed his lips at her faked inquisitiveness, considering how best to answer her. The Geisha were known for their observation skills, and every sentence they strung together seemed to be barbed with an entrapment.

"I have decided to take her to the Mid-Winter Festival, and need to make the arrangements." His voice was deep, not unattractively so, his arms folded in an effort to make him appear taller and therefore more authoritarian. Roganda was used to the bluster employed by men to make them a powerful presence. This clearly was a master of those skills, a man with no formal military training, and yet shrewd enough to survive Imperial Court's treachery.

"Dania Laquila has been taken by another officer already; she is currently out with him." Roganda spoke with apology in her tone. She watched, barely suppressing a grin, as surprise appeared on his face; clearly, he had been confident that he had won Dania as his own. Resentment also seemed to be building, behind that mask of confidence.

"Which officer?" She made a show of thinking about it, and then nodded.

"I am unsure of his name, but I'm sure you'd know him…the undesirable," She whispered, as if it was a disgusting insult, something that should not be spoken of. She was amused as his surprise turned to anger, the hidden resentment breaking forth, an outburst only marginally held back by manners.

"Dania has chosen to make her debut with an alien?" He spat, gritting his teeth at the answer of her nodded head. He had not taken Dania for an alien sympathiser, not that the question had ever come up. She had been more than happy to discuss Court with him, her amazement at all he had achieved in such a short time evident.

"Such a waste, don't you think? I told her that you were the better option, the more gentlemanly, the strongest politically…but she still accepted his escort this morning" Roganda's voice, the soundtrack to his anger, spoke over his thoughts, cutting them cleanly in half to return him back to the unfortunately reality of being rejected by a Geisha.

"Thrawn took her this morning?" He said, wits returning. Roganda's head nodded again, her hairpiece swinging happily. He was certain her head would topple off with the weight of such an ornament.

"He sent a captain for her. Is that important, that he sent another man to pick her up? Should I be concerned for her virtue?" She feigned concern, knowing that was what was expected of her. She didn't care if Dania never returned to her, she could be thrown into the Vice-Admirals crew pit for the petty officer to play with, and Roganda would not bat an eyelid.

"Be concerned for her life; Imperial Intelligence agents will not take it lightly that one of the Emperor's personal staff is consorting with an alien, even if that alien is within the Imperial Navy, he is only tolerated there as a necessary evil. " Tigellinus dipped into a bow. "My lady, please excuse me."

"Should you like me to tell Dania that you have enquired about her?" He stopped in his march towards the exit, shoulders tense. Yes, that had rubbed salt in his wound; his anger would be a blindingly beautiful thing to see.

"No…I will catch up with her at my convenience."

Dania was carefully escorted inside the Imperial building, the security outside a giveaway of the high level of the people how lived within the apartment. Clearly, this was not only a military building; it would be folly to cram all of the Empire's most promising into a single building, especially with the Rebellions growing nerve towards selecting targets for destruction. A mixture of civilian and military personal appeared to live here, in harmony, not a stones throw away from the Imperial Palace.

They entered the entrance room, passed the security presence, Voss Parck walked confidently ahead of her, his uniform well pressed, not uttering a word to her. Clearly, he was embarrassed by the whole idea of employing a geisha, and then having to be seen in public with her. She sighed. Such stigmatisms were attached to the House of Dolls, they were not all whores. Wordlessly, they entered the repulsor lift, and his hand rose to select one of the buttons.

"The Vice-Admiral has summoned you for the day; does this ruin any of your plans?" the silence became too much; Parck cracked, and spoke the first thing he could consider that would not cause offence. What could he have in common with this woman?

"Even if it had, I would have chosen the Vice-Admiral over whatever I had arranged, Captain." She wore a warm smile, hoping it would be returned by Parck. He considered her for a moment, and then looked away. She sighed. This was going to be a really uncomfortable day. He carefully keyed in a code, the doors closing with a snap behind them. Every action he seemed to make was decisive and carefully timed, as if to purposely set her on edge.

Walking her to the window seat, Voss Parck hung back, allowing Dania to overtake and sink delicately into the seat beside Thrawn.

"Welcome, Dania. I trust you had a comfortable journey?" He turned to her a moment later, fixing her with that stare. She feared she would never fully adjust to its intensity, the soul searching they seemed to partake in scouring her with the feeling of being devoured.

"Yes, thank you. The captain was very accommodating."

Nevertheless, she smiled serenely, and leaned back, and cast a glance at the view of Coruscant presented to them. This seat was clearly placed with the intention of admiring the view of Imperial City, and Dania would not just pass up this opportunity to learn more about the Vice-Admiral. None of the geisha that she had spoken to knew anything about him, his species, or his life before the Empire. As a geisha, it was her duty, her privilege to discover all she could.

"For that I'm glad. The captain, as I'm sure you are fully aware, is unhappy with my employing of your talents." Dania looked at him incredulously; why would he discuss this with her? What had Parck possibly done that had made Thrawn decide to embarrass him?

"I never meant for-" Parck interjected, but Thrawn rose a hand to silence him. They were friends, yes; but Dania could see that Thrawn was clearly the more dominate of the two, the one who made the choices. Voss Parck trusted this alien with his life, threw all his support, for whatever it was worth, behind the alien; he would go down with him at Court too.

"We will be honest with Dania, Parck. If we cannot trust each other, however will we rely on each other in Court?" He turned his gaze back from the uncomfortable, shamed Voss Parck to Dania, who slowly raised her gaze to his. "You may be a geisha, and a whore for all we know; but you are also a resourceful woman, who needs a chance. If I give it to you, will you be prepared to ally with us? I will give you sufficient funds to live comfortably, and I stand by my promise to protect you if-and when-I fall at Court. Is this still satisfactory for you?"

She looked passed him, into the skyline, though she didn't see a lot of anything, focussing on her thoughts. She would actually have a choice in the matter then? She had the feeling of drowning last night, when the offer had originally been made, Roganda would be listening, and Thrawn was a Vice-Admiral; but what of the Grand Admiral? How would be react to her, choosing another? And how would Thrawn react to her having another potential Sponsor?

"It is a good offer, Vice-Admiral, and I am pleased to accept it." She cast a gaze across the room at Voss Parck. "Captain, I understand your repulsion towards me, and the other Geisha; but please give me the same chance the Vice-Admiral is. We are not all like Roganda, double-dealing liars who whore for anyone."

"I-" He sighed. "I have never agreed with the use of the geisha, Dania; forgive me my ignorance."

"Of course. We all make mistakes. Though I will endeavour not to at Court." She carefully rose to her feet, following Thrawn, who indicated for her to follow him. Curious, she glanced around the room, taking in the details, trying to decipher anything from the minimalist style of the decoration. No personal effects seemed obvious, there was very little of the secretive alien on display; perhaps that was the point. She turned back to ask him.

"I have no need for the trappings that come with my title, Dania; I barely ever live at Coruscant, so my most important possessions therefore do not reside here, but carefully spread across the galaxy." He spoke, as if answering a question plucked from her mind; she had indeed been wondering about the lack of anything in the room. Though the view more than compensated for the lack of any kind of decoration.

"You will need to be fitted with an outfit, but first, I wish to see what you look like under all that make up" Thrawn indicated to Parck, who opened a set of double doors she had not noticed, and took her inside. Again, it was a bare room, with a number of ladies waiting inside, dressed in the plainer costumes of the Coruscant working class. Clearly, they had been hired just for the day; Thrawn did not seem the type to keep servants, especially if he barely lived here. A single chair and mirror seemed to be the only stationary furnishing, the rest of the enormous room filled with women, milling forward towards her.

Carefully manoeuvred into the chair, she sat back, the many layers of the robes expected of a Geisha to wear awkward to adjust. As she waited, the eldest woman carefully reached for a cloth; when she sat still, she delicately began to scrub the thick rouge from her cheeks, fingers carefully brushing the stray hair from her face.

Thrawn was watching her; she could feel the eyes burning into her. The focus of his day being her, they seemed so much more painful, determined to burn through any masks she may have placed before him. She shuddered with the intensity of it all. Dania tried to fix her gaze forward, to avoid distraction, but found her eyes repeatedly slipping back to glance at Thrawn, his expression pensive. She tried to figure out where Voss Parck had vanished to.

Someone had also begun to undo her hair, untwisting it from its updo, carefully placing the decorations down, running a comb through the long black cascade. Another set of hands unfurled another section, brushing this part as well, ridding the loose curls that had gathered from the thick mane; the Grand Admiral's comb felt delicate and almost relaxing in the hands of the women.

Her skin was cleansed by two others after another finished scouring the thick white paste from her face, she felt the temperature change and the return of a make up brush; something powdery was whipped over her face, and a thinner coat of paint reapplied to her lips. Opening her eyes when prompted, she felt the peculiar sensation of a thin pen drawing an outline on her eyes.

Her hair was left down, the length of it making it awkward to style. Pulled to her feet, she was silently stripped down; her eyes focussed on the floor, slightly ashamed to be stripped to her underwear before the Vice Admiral. He said nothing, complimentarily or derogatorily, as the many layers were stripped away and cast aside, folded into a tall pile.

A lighter costume was carefully tied to her frame, a long hanging dress in a light shade of blue pulled over her head. A darker sash was pulled around her waist, the ends hanging almost as long as the dress. Not addressed in person, the clucking from the women indicated happiness and joy at the way she looked.

"You're finished; turn around." She obeyed before she even realised she had. There was something so utterly commanding about the alien Vice-Admiral, she doubted whether she could say no, even if she wanted to. Dania twisted carefully, raising her head slowly, catching a look of herself in the mirror; no longer white as a ghost, her naturally pale skin was the colour of milk, her lips a delicate shade of light red, blue eyes wide and attentive without the heavy black makeup of the geisha to weigh them shut.

"You look…stunning. You really do. And I haven't even gotten you dressed properly yet…"He seemed pleased with her appearance; praise she suspected he rarely spoke making her smile and blush. Her dress was plain; clearly, it had been bought only as a simplistic outfit in order for her to be taken somewhere private without attracting too much attention. The red of the Imperial Household, and especially the outfit of the House of Dolls was ceremonial and distinctive; Thrawn was keeping her a secret until the night of the Mid-Winter Festival.

"Thank you…" She returned her attention to the mirror; it had been hammered into her that a geisha was only as beautiful as long as she remained in the thick paste of their makeup; she was breaking a taboo by even allowing a client to know what she looked like, without the cover of dark to hide her looks. She was surprised that such a thin amount made her look so…distinctive. Her eyes had always been considered her best feature, but until today, she had never really seen them. The brilliant blue of them seemed to reflect the light in the room. "We're to be stepping out together?"

She didn't notice the absence of the women who had hurriedly stripped her of her makeup and her regalia; but she was unaware of anything but Thrawn at that moment. It was rarer for one who had not made a debut to be taken around a male's house, but rarer yet that someone who was not officially considered a Sponsor to take a geisha out.

"Of course. That is not a problem, is it?"

They were interrupted by Voss Parck; he returned to the room, bearing a carefully wrapped gift. He was speechless at her appearance; wordlessly, he handed what he brandished to Thrawn, who removed the paper, and leaned forward. He brushed a section of her hair behind her ear, and placed the wrapped comb in it, holding the fringe out of her face.

"You must deny to see the Grand Admiral if you wish us to go together; I will not tolerate infidelity from you, even if it is a lie. " He cast a glance at the place she knew the white and gold comb to be. She looked at the floor; perhaps he had known of her interests before. "Come, we will be late otherwise."

He carefully offered his arm to her; she barely acknowledged the quick flick of the head Thrawn gave Voss Parck, and the flash of ivory as the comb was whipped out of sight, and out of mind.

"Your precious Grand Admiral called for you today." Roganda spoke, barely paying attention to the woman who walked in the room. With a jealous twinge, she realised Dania was clasping a bag of one of the more fashionable houses of Coruscant. Seething, she could see the Mid Winter Festival before her eyes, and Dania's careful curtsey, wearing the most radiant gown of all the women present. Dania, a mere apprentice, wearing the robes that she, Roganda, deserved by right!

"Pardon?" Dania had not even noticed Roganda's presence, so elated with the whole day. It was one of the happier days she'd ever spent, and it had been outside the Imperial Palace; what did that point to? Waiving it aside, she felt her heart sink as she saw the smug, arrogant smile of the elder woman. Something dreadful must have happened…

"Tigellinus called for you; you had gone out with…" Roganda waved her hand in some vague gesture. Clearly she was purposely forgetting the name of Dania's new benefactor. "You'd gone out with the freak; I told him you would be back tonight. He'll call for you, I'm sure."

The horrible feeling sank even lower in her body; had Roganda told Tigellinus who exactly she was out with? Even if she had only called him the freak, it was no secret that Thrawn was the only alien in the Imperial Fleet. She was ruined. There was no way Tigellinus would let himself be stood up, not by a geisha, and not over an alien.

"You told him I was out with Thrawn?" Dania paled; it was no secret that the Grand Admiral Tigellinus was a fervent supporter of High Human Culture; he would not take this well. She hadn't known his face to his name; she cursed under her breathe, realising she had made a fatal mistake. She should never have allowed herself to have been swept out by the unknown Grand Admiral, or have accepted his gift. Roganda's smile of happiness showed Dania that Tigellinus had been furious with her, and it made her stomach turn. Roganda had clearly had a hand in this, somewhere.

"Well, he wanted to know what was so important, that you would not be present to accept his invitation to the Mid Winter Festival." She shrugged. "You've made your bed; now you have to lie in it"

Author's Note:

Wow, 274 views already! I feel privileged, I really do Thanks for your continued support; the reviews are much appreciated!

Okay, I want to do a couple of one-shots for this fanfiction -its going to be pretty long, so I want to keep you all entertained! What do YOU want to see expanded upon in a one-shot? Something based around Dsai'llyana and her feelings, or Dania and Thrawn? What are you enjoying, and what are you hating?

I am trying to update as often as I can; unfortunately, its getting to a tricky time of school life where my final exams are looming, and I'm spending less time on fanfiction than I'd otherwise like to. Don't despair; I am determined to finish this fanfiction, and I will do it…

Thrawn is amazingly intricate to write; very difficult but incredible. I'm fairly certain I write him OOC though…hope I haven't offended anyone! He's also my new number one obsession, so I will finish this fanfiction…I will!

Aryna: Thank you so much for the reviews! I can't tell you how much they mean to me this ones been posted just for you

MGA


	6. Face the Music

Author's Note: Its at the start for a change...Have you guys got a treat!

Plots, Twists, Turns, Backstabbing...We have it all this chapter...

Chapter Six: Face the Music

The Star Destroyer hung in place, carefully orbiting a world without a name, the warship dwarfed in comparison, an uncanny, untrustworthy stillness about the system they entered. Everyone was tense, Dsai'llyana could taste it, even on the filtered air, clogging the minds of all those aboard. The Remnant was tired of war; and she would be the one to bring the peace the galaxy had long been denied. It was what had been educated to her since her childhood; and what she would achieve as an adult.

She stood on the Command Deck of the _Chimaera_, appearing to stare out at the stars. Of course, this was a pointless exercise for her. With her back to the crew, she tentatively opened her mind, allowing herself to relax as she focussed on those around her, even as Staliae stepped towards her, the ysalamir in her arms breaking the connection.

"You seem very quiet, Illyana." Dsai'llyana did not bother to turn towards the direction of the voice; few addressed her by her Core name, and even fewer addressed her so frankly. It was clear to her that it would be her tutor. A few minutes ago, she had put down the datapad, bringing a pause to her father's long-dead voice, to have a break, to attempt to reconnect with the present. It was all well and good learning all she could, but even her mind required time to consider what had been learned.

"Would you like to tell me what the Grand Admiral Pellaeon told you that has made you so thoughtful?"

There was disdain in her voice, her disapproval quite apparent; but Dsai'llyana was an adult now by Chiss standards and her tutor could do little more than look on, helpless where once she may have had influence. It had been Staliae who had looked after her, who had taken on the responsibility of protecting her as a child when her mother had been incapable, after the death of her father. An odd sort of love existed between them, but Dsai'llyana ever doubted she would ever love the Chiss.

Memories of harsh lessons and worse punishments as a child plagued her; her emotions the weak link in her chain. Chiss infants did not have the problems human children did with dealing with emotion, some higher part of their mind evolved to a stage where emotions were effectively restricted, and were therefore able to learn and develop faster mentally because of this. Dsai'llyana had, at first, found it very difficult to keep up with the expectations of those around her; no allowances were permitted because of her half-Chiss status.

"He has enabled me to translate this." Dsai'llyana held up the old datapad. Staliae's eyes widened, indicating shock. "I've been listening to my father's voice for the first time in a decade." She whispered, feeling oddly emotional. It was a hard task, being the child of Mitth'raw'nuroudo; his reputation was known, and feared, even now, a decade since his death. Unfairly, she was compared, contrasted and criticised next to his model, despite their differences; but she had listened and grown from what had been said, turning it to her advantage and surpassing the goal.

She remembered the tears, the endless loneliness that had isolated her from the other children, Chiss and otherwise; more than just blindness kept her away from them. It had been hard, incredibly so, for her. But she had risen to the challenge and achieved all that had been expected of her, and more.

"You should not be so quick to believe the Imperial Supreme Commander; he knows of your father's skills, and he knows that you too will possess them. The remnant needs a ruler like you; don't simply throw yourself at them." The woman hissed at her, a few subtle undertones of venom concealed in her words.

Staliae disapproved immensely with her feelings towards revealing herself to the Imperial Remnant; it was better, in her governess's opinion, for her to remain as leader of the Empire of the Hand, out of the way of the politics that were ruining the rest of the galaxy.

But Staliae was Chiss, and as such still hung quiet strongly to her isolationist views. Though she saw how inappropriately the Ascendancy used their doctrines, Staliae wanted Dsai'llyana to remain safe in her father's Empire, and keep it the paradise that Thrawn had managed to create in contradiction to the Ascendancy's flawed foundations.

Dsai'llyana sighed; the task before her was not an easy one. It was also immensely difficult for her to take the broken Empire, break the policies that had governed it for the better part of almost 40 years and bring the two pieces together; but it had to be done. It was painful to consider that the Empire her father had strove to create could be destroyed by the Yuhzann Vong threat. Flaring up inside her, she swore she would not let it happen; he may be dead, but his ideals would not rest in the cold marble grave where his body slept; they would live, and they would make the galaxy a better place.

"What kind of Heir would I be, if I did not defend what was legally mine by right?" She bowed her head. "And what kind of being would I be if I allowed the galaxy to be overcome by the Yuhzann Vong? If I remained complacent, happy to defend my borders until the threat comes to me, I will lose the Empire of the Hand, and I will have become akin to the Ascendancy. "She walked up close to her tutor, and glared. "Thrawn spent his life defending the galaxy from their threat; he was exiled by his people, and shamed by the Empire. If this is my fate, then so be it. But do not ask me to go against what you yourself have taught me about my father, and about myself." Dsai'llyana swept past the elder Chiss, and back into the Private Command Centre.

Staliae remained alone on the Command Deck; dressed in the uniform of the Empire of the Hand's officers, she looked at the space where her charge had stood, and wondered what had happened to the time. It seemed minutes since Illyana had been a babe in arms, held in Thrawn's arms on her Naming Day.

She had been a beautiful baby, her skin a perfect shade of powder blue, red eyes still closed to the harsh light. Dania had been in labour for well over 10 hours, and Thrawn had been unwilling to leave her, except for the summons that required his urgent attention. It had been, ironically, during the half-hour he was not present that Dsai'llyana had arrived, and was sleeping in her mothers arms when he returned.

His smile had been unexpected, and it was a tribute to exactly how much he had hurt at the loss of their first child. The warm bundle was carefully passed from mother to father, and settled comfortably against his body. It was then Dsai'llyana opened her eyes, all of a sudden; bright and clear, red eyes looked up at Thrawn, the first person she had ever seen.

Everyone was pleased at the arrival of this child, not least because of the renewed hope for the future. With an heir apparent, the continuation of the Empire was assured, and the birth of Illyana had been taken as a good sign. Staliae had watched the humans carefully during this period, out of concern for the child and out of personal interest. She sighed. Thrawn had been so happy the day Dania was born.

She wondered if he would feel the same, if he had heard Dsai'llyana's previous speech.

Dania walked and walked, unwilling to return to the House of Dolls, and unable to bring herself to go seek Thrawn. Dressed again in the heavy robes of the Geisha, she felt everythin She was just so confused by the whole situation, and how it had come about. How had she been so stupid to allow Roganda to manipulate her so well? She cursed herself; she had tried to tell herself she was strong, that she would see beyond the masks that people wore. But in the end, she was just another naïve young virgin, lured in by the slim chance of infamy, offered by Imperial Court. She was doomed. She always had been.

Roganda hated her with a spite unexplained; Tigellinus would hate her for her desertion, and all his allies would join the force against her and Thrawn. It was going to be hell, and she could not see how she was supposed to survive. No family, no contacts, no alliances. Except for Thrawn.

The sun was sinking, the temperature dropping rapidly, but Dania could barely feel the cold. It would be a few hours yet before the Mid-Winter Festival began, and surely she would be allowed a few moments alone. Imperial Centre was calm that night; as busy as ever, but regimented, ordered; just as the New Order promised. She smiled; she didn't really swallow the politics of it all, but the Galactic Empire was an amazing thing to behold, even if it was about to tear her apart.

"Isn't it a little late for a young woman to be out, unchaperoned?" A soft, commanding voice addressed her directly, the source unclear, from the shadows. She turned around; unsure on whom she had interrupted. The balcony she had found herself standing on was small, nondescript, and, as far as she had been able to tell, free of an occupant. It was merely the end of a corridor, looking over a fairly unimportant section of Coruscant that nevertheless looked as magnificent as any other view.

"I'm very sorry, forgive my intrusion..." she began her speech; he stepped into the half-light, and her words faltered. She dropped to the floor, suddenly afraid; "My Emperor, I apologise for my rude intrusion, had I known-"

His thick robe touched the floor, and though she could not see his eyes for the hood that covered his face; she felt them burning into her. She had never had the opportunity to even glimpse this man in the flesh. Her forehead touched the ground; she was terrified, and yet exhilarated at the same time.

Geisha knew that they were the lowliest at Court; with no actual standing in society, it was their ultimate goal to find a man to protect them, to give them role and purpose. This was the order set in place, and for Dania, who had not yet officially received her Sponsor, to come face to face with the most influential and powerful man in the galaxy…

"There is no intrusion, Dania Laquila." He motioned for her to stand. Terrified, she reacted slowly, wondering how he knew her name. He seemed amused at this, an overtone of cruel humour playing in his syllables. "You could state that it is I who intrudes upon you."

He motioned for her to stand, and took a grip on her arm. The withered hand felt cold on her warm flesh, its grip immensely tight and powerful. "I have been meaning to speak with you for sometime; now is as good as any."

She felt that he wouldn't have given her the choice if she was otherwise engaged; but this was her ruler, she did not have the right to speak against his wishes. Allowing him to manoeuvre her towards the railing, she felt the hair stand up on her neck; something about him made her uncomfortable. There were, of course, the rumours of his involvement with the Dark Side were well whispered about, his manipulations of the ancient faith of the Sith Lord legends amongst the upper echelons.

When no more was spoken between them, Dania carefully considered her options; it would not do to be upstanding to the Emperor, but this silence was clearly a test. One she was determined she would not fail.

"What is it you wish to speak to me about?" she asked innocently, careful to keep the demand from her voice, speaking as a child would. He seemed to consider his reply, his grip on her arm relaxing a little, withered skin brushing against her as he touched her cheek. The intrusion into her personal space seemed perverse, this ancient old man touching her without needing permission. She cleared her mind, and controlled her thoughts; his intensity felt as if it could pick up her innermost feelings.

"Have your memories returned to you yet?" He replied, in a tone free of negativity, as benevolent as someone of such darkness could muster. She did not move, or even flinch away from the touch of his hand. It was his right; she had no choice. She fought to repress her revulsion, swallowing bile as it rose in her throat.

"My memories?" She eventually managed, turning her gaze to his, looking up through long lashes, painted lips pouting. Why should he care about that? She was a drop in the ocean of people he lived around, a particularly small, insignificant drop that she would have thought he'd not miss.

"Yes, child; your memories. It must be a terrible thing for you, having no past you recall, and no family to protect or guard you…" His hand swept a loose piece of hair back behind her ear, the back casually brushing her cheek. Long unanswered questions were about to be answered; biting her lip, she held her breath in anticipation. He continued. "I make sure I am aware of loyal subordinates; your father was one of them, which is why I was prepared to take you into the House of Dolls without questioning your background when you were brought to us. But Court is about to become very dangerous for you; your choice of the Vice-Admiral Thrawn will make you a great number of enemies. The time has come for me to know how loyal you are to me, Dania." She felt him pull her arm straight, tightening his grip again on it, and then relaxing. She felt sick at the intrusion, but she still refused to disobey.

"What do you want, my Liege?" She asked, voice choked deep in her throat. He smiled a twisted grimace. She shuddered at what he might possibly be considering at her last statement, and forced her mind clear again. It would not do for her to fail, to be cast aside like a doll…She almost cried at the irony of the statement.

"You are keeping a weather eye open for the Vice-Admiral at Court; I want you to monitor his activities, and report anything suspicious to me. Do this task well, and I will make sure your place at Court is assured." He hissed, turning her around to face him again, hands suddenly groping at her stomach, her hips and her thighs. She prayed to whatever powers that existed to keep her quiet, it would not do for her to cry the tears that had welled up.

"You will …protect me?" Even as he did the opposite, she could not help but reach out to this lifeline he threw to her; with Thrawn's guarantee, and this one, surely, she could survive? It would merely be a matter of manipulation….something she was supposed to be most gifted at. He again seemed amused by her response.

"Indirectly; it is not wise for me to interfere at Court too much." He smiled, grasping her hand in his own. She saw it held before her, barely registering it as her own. "Then you will do as I ask?" With his other hand, he raised her chin to meet his gaze.

"As a Geisha, you know I cannot refuse, my lord." She spoke hollowly, trying to push what had just happened to her from her mind. Her words rang true; there really was no way that she could deny him, as a man, or as Emperor. She couldn't refuse him anything.

"But as a citizen of the Empire?" Golden eyes blazed into her, as if to hypnotise her. Silently, she nodded, trying to find the strength to reply without crying. She couldn't pass up this opportunity, she just couldn't.

"I accept."

"I assume you are ready for tonight's performance?" Light poured in, the final, dying rays of the sun casting a rainbow of colour over the Emperor of the Galactic Empire, his dark cowl covering his face. The audience chamber was empty, but for three individuals. Carefully skulking in the shadows, Sate Pestage watched, quietly interested in the exchange between Emperor and Alien. This exchange was a deadly secret, and Pestage knew if he ever revealed such information to anyone, punishment would be in order. Not that he was that foolish; he'd been with Palpatine from the beginning, and was not willing to abandon him now.

"I am." Thrawn inclined his head. He held no specific love for this man, or a great many of his policies. But in the end, what did emotions mean? As long as they both benefited from this arrangement; it would end satisfactorily for them both. "How did you find Dania?" He was certainly uncomfortable; Dania was not ugly, and at Court, without even been tied to her officially, enough of the gossip of the lower circles had siphoned up to him through avenues of listeners. He could tell that Palpatine was not telling him certain things, and he had a good mind as to what it the big secret might be.

"Obedient; without argument and willing to obey her superiors." A cruel smile lifted the corners of his mouth, an expression which make Hoth seem as warm as Mustafar. "She will lure Tigellinus into our trap, and set up your political assent." It felt somehow wrong, treating Dania as a resource, an item, rather than a person; she was more than just another piece to Thrawn's ever expanding art archives, scattered across the galaxy.

"Thank you, my Emperor. And the arrangements for the Expansion?" The Expansion Program; the arrangement for the Unknown Regions. After years of insubstantial growth, the Emperor had decided it was high time to expand into the alien territory, and who better than to lead the fleet, but Thrawn, who had more knowledge of alien species than possibly a smuggler?

"The Expansion Program is culminating credit in its account. By the end of the year, I should be able to exile you back." Amusement played in his words as he addressed Thrawn; yes, this alien was someone to be treated equally, someone who thought on the same field as he did, and in a similar way. How else had Palpatine been able to manipulate him so easily, if not because of the similarities?

"And Dania? She will be assured safety when I am gone?" Thrawn pressed onwards; his promise to the harlot bothered him, inexplicably. He was used to double-dealings and manipulation, but she was so blissfully unaware, so willing to fall under the protection of the first man who claimed to be her prince that he felt almost protective of her. She reminded him a great deal of the first human female he had met, back before the Empire, his exile… He chastised himself; there was no point getting attached to anyone now. Maris and Dania were entirely different people, and it would not do to grow fond of Dania if his plans were to unfold as he had designed.

"I have something in mind for her that will be mutually beneficial to us all." Palpatine revealed no more of the plan his twisted mind was designing, rather pleased to keep those around him guessing. It would not do for anyone to understand Dania's true purpose. "Haven't you got to collect your Doll now?" He spoke dismissively, waving a hand to signal the end of the conversation. Thrawn carefully bowed at the middle, and turned on his heel, leaving the audience chamber.

"That went well, my lord." Pestage scuttled forwards towards the ruler, and waited to hear Palpatines' summary of the events. Palpatine waited; he wanted Pestage to be hanging off his every word. Even those near the top of his government often needed reminders of truly who was serving who; this was Pestage's.

"Yes…as much as I dislike the thought of Dania being with an alien, the irony of the situation is amusing enough. Did Tigellinus agree to the proposal?" Pestage frowned; what was the link between the Emperor and Dania? His fascination for females usually lasted for as long as the time it took him to lure them into his private rooms; but Dania was still, to his knowledge, pure. Tapping away at

"I received his and Ishin-II-Raz's communiqués earlier; they both agree to their separate proposals. And Intelligence reveals that they are not aware of the different deals that have been made." Pestage handed the datapads with the exact transcripts over to the withered hand that accepted them quickly.

"Good…Dania still retains her hidden strength. Her memories are still conveniently lost, and she still does not question what she is told. "

"Everything is going according to plan" Pestage announced solemnly; he did not need to know all of Palpatines' machinations; merely from the tone of voice, the body language and the little twitch of malevolent smile, he knew everything was going exactly how the Dark Lord had wanted it to.

...Next Chapter, I PROMISE you is Dania's debut! Don't forget to leave a review to let me know how you think its going!

MGA


	7. Pathway to the Stars

Inertia

Chapter Seven: Pathway to the Stars

It was a beautiful night on Coruscant, and already the guests were arriving for the Mid-Winter Festival Celebration, streaming into the Palace in groups, eager for the party to begin. Four stood in a corner, conspicuous in the shadows, few noticing the white of their uniforms from the amazing array of coloured banners.

"Do you have the results from the sample you took?" Grant asked, careful to be sure he was hidden. He disliked these occasions, but events of this magnitude were few and far between. His support of Tigellinus was a key factor for his attendance; otherwise, he would still be, quite safely, tucked away on his Destroyer.

"Here they are…" A datapad was held out for them; the information was read in silence, each considering what it contained, and how it would affect them in future. Finally, Pitta spoke up.

"And you are certain these are accurate?"

Tigellinus gave him a piercing stare, before returning his gaze to the datapad. It had been practically impossible for him to get this information, and still they questioned it? Despite the promises they had made to support each other, and the regime of Palpatine's New Order, a number of them were still openly suspicious; he disliked their lack of subtlety when it came to such things.

"There are enough genetic matches, considering the incomplete sample, for the match, if one was possible." He spoke quietly, a deadly undertone present. No one else dared to question him, fearing his wrath.

"Then the child is not the Heir to the Empire…"

"No." Tigellinus smiled; it really had been clever of Roganda not to allow anyone too close to her child, to either authenticate its claim to power, or disprove it. A very clever ploy that he would remember until it was needed as blackmail. Still, with this revelation came a realisation that his plan had met another dead end.

"But we know the heir is inside the House of Dolls…Palpatine has said as much! We've checked all the women in there for relations to him, we've check all the children…"Ishin-II-Raz cursed under his breath; they had been so certain Roganda had been the one!

It was vital that for the New Order to continue in the way they all wanted, they needed to find the Heir, and indoctrinate them fully, so they understood the Empire, its intricacies and the delicate balance that kept it all in balance. Raz would rather have supported Tigellinus' search for the true heir to protect the future of the Empire, to guarantee the protection of the regime he loved so much, rather than stood by and let the ambitious Grand Admiral believe he alone had saved the Imperial way.

It was Palpatine's perfect double-edged sword, roulette for the nobles to find the one who will take the Empire into the future. By placing the heir, whoever they may be, in such a place, it made certain only certain people would be able to influence the heir, let alone discover the person's identity. If they were too late, and the Doll had been married off years ago…He didn't even want to think about the possibility. They had to get the person, they had to.

"So we just need to keep looking. She is in there somewhere; I just need to settle a score tonight, send out a message to all those who attempt to interfere with our plans."

"You never let anything go, do you? Your pride will be your ruin." Ishin-II-Raz knew a little of the plan concocted by the Emperor; it gave him a small amount of pleasure to see that Tigellinus, for all his brilliance, was unable to see that Palpatine's plan was exclusive to him. He had allowed whatever it was he felt for the harlot to distract him from the bigger picture.

"Perhaps. But I'm not letting an alien be the first to have her." Tigellinus' face was set with a dark kind of determination, and Raz knew he would not sway him from whatever it was he was plotting." She cannot understand what she is doing…" He'd convinced himself that Dania had acted like this out of naïveté; no mere whore would dare to say no to him…

"And if Palpatine has you punished for interfering with her? Her father was a close supporter of his; he will not allow you to touch her. There are rumours he himself wants that privilege…"

"His interest in her is not what you estimate it to be; I'm doing this for her own good. He will understand my reasons." He only hoped she would listen to his argument, and not force him to take actions he might regret. Draining his glass, he replaced it on the nearest surface, and began to walk into the crowd, to find himself barged into. A glass fell to the floor, red wine splattering upwards.

"My apologies, Grand Admiral." Voss Parck spoke sincerely, looking uncomfortable. "I did not see you move." The heady scent of mulled wine raised upwards, the fragments of expensive glass broken underfoot as Tigellinus moved towards the captain. He felt his upper lip curl; wasn't this the idiot who had found Thrawn a decade ago? Silencing the burst of anger he felt, he looked aloof at the subservient officer.

"Clearly. Perhaps you need another deep space assignment, to give you time to consider the manner in which you address senior officers?" He threatened; Voss Parck paled, and shook his head vigorously. Tigellinus suppressed a smile at the power he had over the mere captain.

"It was an accident, Grand Admiral; I will make sure it does not happen again." Parck's head was hung low; the attention of the surrounding people had been grasped. How shameful for the captain.

"See that it does not. Or you will find your career as ruined as your dress uniform." Tigellinus waved his hand in dismissal, and watched the captain vanish into the crowd, heading towards the freak and Dania. She looked beautiful tonight, but it was marred by the alien next to her. Something he intended to remedy before the celebration was over.

It was like nothing she had ever imagined, the Grand Corridor of Imperial Palace was bedecked in banners and streamers of bright colours, the heat almost oppressive, the constant flow of it uncomfortable. Dania shuddered, despite this, nervousness still present. Cheerful music flowed through the crowds, the gentle babble of meaningless conversation a careful backdrop to the black deeds she knew were being planned. It was a feeling, more than anything, no words or actions to back up her hunch, just a deep, hidden emotion that felt like impending doom upon her.

Eyes slid up and down her when she was not looking their way; weighing her, assessing her against private agendas and preconceived ideas; she drew her arms tighter across her stomach, needing at least that barrier between her and the surreptitious plans being made around her.

She caught a glimpse of herself in a curved vase of some reflective material, hints of layered colours present on the surface. It was a bold move on Thrawn's part to dress her like this, her hair swept high on top of her head, making her seem taller, a carefully decorated pin dug into the base of the style to anchor it in place. Understated studs decorated the three piercings in each ear; a simple gown of a silk-soft material cut in black clung close to her figure. The neckline plunged into a modest v-shape, teasing but not revealing, long sleeves covering her thin arms.

Generally, when Geisha came to court, they wore either the heavy robes, similar to their official daywear, or else something perhaps more appropriate for a dancing girl. Here she stood, carefully smiling at Thrawn's elbow, wearing the fashions of a well-kept woman, one who was respected and considered to be more than just a night time floozy.

She sipped from the glass in her hand; Thrawn really had planned this carefully. By dressing her in such a way, she was not an object of lust, or someone he only used because of her Doll status; it meant her respected her, which was going to be vital in Court. Propaganda was quite certain that Aliens tended to have degenerated views of sex, and there were rules in place that were quite strict, regarding alien/human relationships. It was a slender tightrope Thrawn was treading, he could not act dismissively to her, nor could he appear too fond of her. It was going to be a dangerous act with potentially fatal consequences.

"I have to congratulate you, Admiral, on your achievement. I never thought I'd see the day that you would be elevated." Her attention returned to reality, to find the group of people around Thrawn now dispersed, a single person now beside him, dressed in pure white. It was not a pleasant sight to behold, but she bit her tongue, unwilling to show her revulsion towards the unfortunate person. At least she knew why it was now only a single person speaking to Thrawn.

Searching her mind quickly, she tried to recall the name of the Grand Admiral who had suffered the accident that had left him with more that half his body replaced with cybernetics…

"It seems I have finally acted decisively enough for them to decide to promote me, Grand Admiral Teshik. I'm sure that there was no prejudice on their parts." Thrawn spoke clearly and without emotion, but she saw the lie. Though he was legally a part of the Empire, he still nevertheless suffered from their slur campaigns.

The looks they had been given as their names had been announced, and they had entered the Grand Corridor, had been of disgust, of hatred, and even a few of anger. She wondered how many had been aimed at her for daring to appear on an alien's arm, and how many of them were genuine.

"Bah. That's nonsense, and you know it." The tone of the Grand Admiral surprised her; so far, those who had deigned to speak with the two of them had been doing it more out of courtesy that anything, idle chitchat that meant nothing and everything at the same time, She had been gracious, despite the sneers, the wicked whispers and the jeering that would undoubtedly come afterwards when they would go. Teshik spoke with a more comradely tone, as if he truly did respect Thrawn and consider him an equal; he wore none of the badly-disguised repulsion at them. Perhaps Thrawn wasn't without allies, after all.

"I have nothing but time, Osvald. If it takes me two years or ten, I will go as far as I can. Have I introduced you to Dania Laquila?" A small smile lit Thrawn's face as he spoke, a phrase as close to humour as she would ever hear him say carefully spoken. The Grand Admiral considered her carefully with sincere interest in his eyes, before stooping into a difficult bow to take her hand and delicately kiss it.

"Charmed, my lady." He straightened and she curtseyed low, feeling a new respect for this man. She had known of his reputation for compassion, but always considered it something of a smokescreen for him to hide behind in order to manipulate, but now she could see it was genuine.

"The pleasure is all mine, Grand Admiral Teshik. How are you finding the administration of Oversector One to be? Not to strenuous, I hope?" She inquired, innocently. She smiled at his look of surprise at this, and was warmed by the melting of his expression. Honesty had been hard to find all night, and here was the person she would have believed most likely to be bitter, clearly holding no grudge against the world.

"I am working towards making it a great deal more efficient, my lady. You're very well informed, something I'm sure you will find useful in Court." He returned his attention to Thrawn. "Where is the third of your number?" He looked around; so he knew of the Captain? Dania wondered the same thing, filing it way as she also considered how Thrawn had possibly come to be allied with a Grand Admiral.

"Captain Voss Parck is running an errand for me at the moment, he is sure to return in a moment." Thrawn answered, his eyes scanning the crowds quickly. There was silence for a period, but not an uncomfortable one. Dania was glad of the pause, raising her glass again to her lips to drink at the sweet wine inside.

"After your last fall, I was certain that Court had seen the last of you. You are indeed fortunate to have been allowed back here." Teshik said frankly. Thrawn wore an expression of thoughtfulness, as if uncertain how much he should reveal. Surely, he would not reveal the true purpose to Teshik, even if he was an ally?

"I believe it has a lot less to do with fortune, and more to do with the threat of a coup against the Emperor. It seems he now has enemies within his own ranks of officials and officers." He spoke carefully, making sure that no one around them could hear; Dania herself barely caught what was passed between them. Teshik nodded, and leaned closer.

"Yes, there have been whispers at Court of such treason. It makes sense that you have been called back for such a thing. Is she part of your plotting?" He indicated Dania, and Thrawn responded with a curt nod. "Ah. I wish you the best of luck then."

He moved away then, carefully moving through the crowd; Dania felt a stab of pity for him; the Empire was not kind to those who were considered weak; what was once a proud, capable man, now reduced to relying on machines to sustain his life?

"Do not insult his efforts with your pity, Dania." She turned to find Thrawn's intense glare upon her. She had not noticed his attention shift back to her, and found herself wondering if he was capable of reading minds. "Teshik stands on his own two feet, and whilst outwardly, people mock his disability, how could anyone not envy such a strong person?"

"You're right, of course." She sighed. She really was incredibly naïve. He was watching her again, eyes unblinking; she fidgeted, uncomfortable under his scrutiny. He would find something wrong, no doubt.

"You're missing something…" Before she could even protest, she felt cold hands on her throat, pulling something tight against her neck, and then, hands slid to her shoulders. Raising a delicate hand, a finger touched cool ribbon, pulled about her neck, a small gem in an intricate setting comfortably placed on her pale skin. "It would not be right for us to appear with you half-dressed. Consider it a gift…"

She felt shocked; such an expensive gift, and she had thought he didn't like her? Her voice thickened, and she blinked a few times, overcome. Had she ever received gifts as a child? She couldn't remember the last time something had been given to her, and she tried not to consider what it would require her to earn it.

"Ah, captain, I see you had a run-in with Tigellinus. I assume you escaped without too much trouble?" some hidden meaning was passed between them, Dania could tell, but she was damned if she could figure it out. So Tigellinus was already here? The hair on the back of her neck stood up as she looked about, trying to locate the brilliant white of his uniform.

"No trouble at all, Thrawn." He handed something over to the alien, the action barely noticeable. Dania ignored it, putting it to the back of her mind to quiz them both about it later. "Though I do believe I look a state, covered as I am. Would either of you mind if I went to change into something more suitable?"

"Not at all, captain. We'll be in the main audience chamber; I do believe it is time for us to be presented before the Emperor."

"Vice-Admiral Thrawn, and the Doll Dania Laquila, stepped forwards to receive your Mid-Winter Honours." The speaker announced them as they reached the very pinnacle of the crowd, the major dignitaries behind them, only the Emperor in front of them. Dania felt her stomach lurch, and kept her eyes down; sure everyone would guess her conversation with Palpatine if they saw her blush. She thought he smiled an evil smile, a casual wave of an aged hand dismissing them back into the mass.

Their presentation had been quick and painless, her bare hand carefully held in his glove as they had walked and knelt in unison before the entire aristocracy of the Core, elegant and suave before the masses of sharp, cruel eyes, determined to pick them apart for their mistakes.

None were made, but still, she felt nervous. After his congratulation was over, Dania had been escorted elsewhere, whilst Thrawn received debrief from an official as to his next assignment. It seemed his promotion to the status of Admiral had been for the purpose of a High-Security mission. The conversations with Grand Admiral Teshik now made more sense to her; clearly, there was more to Thrawn's re-entry to Court than met the eye, otherwise the Emperor would never have asked her to monitor his actions…

She cast a glance about the corridor she was in; it ran parallel to the Grand Corridor, outside of the Palace, huge columns separating it from the main meeting place, and the outside. Streamers blew in a gentle breeze, the dark sky dotted with orbiting vessels and far-away stars.

Starlight flooded inwards, and she couldn't help but bask in the light, feeling warm inside. Her nervous has been misplaced; Tigellinus would not dare touch her here, with so many to witness such an event. Despite the anxiety, she had still enjoyed the evening; it had been good to do more than just stay in the House of Dolls, alone, with nothing but her inexistent memories to taunt herself with.

Vainly, she tried to recall anything, an event like this from her past that might illuminate her family, but to no avail. Clearly, her father had been someone of importance; why else would the Emperor concern himself with her? Here, she was a nobody, with no past, and with no future.

Her feelings of exhilaration at being sponsored by Thrawn she had quickly subdued; she could not afford to get attached to Thrawn; yes, he was remarkably intelligent, but the Emperor clearly had a plan for him. And it couldn't be good, whatever it was. But she was still treated with respect, if not as an equal, by him, and so she supposed her feelings had grown root from that. It could never be more, despite their little role-play for Court, he was an alien, and she…She sighed. She just didn't want to become so worthless that she had to use her body for manipulation. That was the last card for her to play, the final admission of hopelessness.

The hall seemed to have emptied since her arrival, the quiet babble reduced to the terrible noise of silence. She looked around, wondering where, and why, the people had moved onwards. Dania's heart beat loud as a drum, what if she couldn't get back to Thrawn? All fear drained away, to be replaced by shock, as a carefully hidden figure slinked forwards, restraining her against the nearest pillar.

"Good evening, Dania." His white uniform opalescent in the darkness, Tigellinus' dark eyes flashed, gleaming with smugness at her discomfort. "I hope you don't mind, I need a private word with you…"

Okay, here are the responses to my reviewers...Once again, thank you to all my readers, it means a lot to me.

**Aryna:** I'm really flattered you've become addicted, it means I'm doing an alright job at writing .. Hopefully, now I've finally gotten to her debut, you will find some answers. So sorry to leave you on a cliffhanger...

To answer your questions:

Maris is no big secret; she is a character from Outbound Flight (The newly-released Star Wars Expanded Universe Novel) If you like Thrawn, I recommend you buy this book ASAP! It reveals the truth about the infamously secret Outbound Flight mission, as well as some information on Jorj Card'as. Maris is a human female who gets something of a crush on Thrawn, and admires him greatly. The fangirls are divided as to how much he reciprocates any feelings for her. In my opinion, it is nothing above professional, and Dania reminds him of Maris' wide-eyed, naive nature.

Yes, they have lost a child before Illyana... But as to the circumstances...You'll have to keep reading ...

Illyana is born blind; its just that she has a VERY close link with her father, and her opening her eyes to him is just the first sign of this very special father/child connection...

**Aria:** I'm glad you found that last chapter good . I've taken your advice too...thanks for the feedback.


	8. Mortification

Inertia

Chapter 8: Mortification

Pelleaon sat and stared; the holoimage not really holding his attention, just something to focus his gaze up. The darkness of the room contrasted with the brightness of the illusion of hyperspace, a constant reminder of the mission which they now pursued. His orders to continue towards the meeting with the New Republic hierarchy had not been countermanded by Illyana, and so he could only hope that this indicated her full support of the peace treaty.

He relaxed back into the chair, a wave of tiredness aching in his limbs. The day had been overwhelming, he felt exhausted, as he had not felt for a long time. The emotional strain of facing up to the past, of meeting Illyana, and of having to conduct the investigation into the Empress' death was immense, not made any easier by his age or experience. Closing his eyes, he tried to wipe away the thought of Illyana's resemblance to her mother, the only difference being the Chiss colouring of the young woman.

The report on Dania Laquila's death had not made for happy reading. He glanced at the datapad in his hand, and read the first paragraph again. The post mortem had revealed that she had been poisoned by a rare plant, with no known cure. A holo-recorded message confirmed suspicions of suicide. He had concluded that she must have heard the rumours of Thrawn's apparent return, the report also noted she had also received a number of communiqués both from Moff Disra, and an unnamed sources on Bastion in the days leading up to her death. Could one of them have been from Flim, cajoled into it by Tierce and Disra?

He suddenly had an image of Dania's reaction to a transmission of Thrawn, and he saw her wild eyes, her terrible fear, her confusion and her tears. His Empress had relied upon him since the loss of her Consort; he'd seen enough of her behaviour to picture her utter panic the sudden reappearance would trigger. Dania had not allowed herself to cry during the period of Thrawn's death, had gone through the motions of mourning for him. She had retained in control, despite calls for her to step down. But inside, he knew that she had shattered.

She had resisted all manner of attempted assassinations, had gone to Byss during the return of Palpatine, had been willing to give up her existence in loyalty to the New Order with which she had been entrusted. It had been fortunate that Anakin had distracted Palpatine's attention away from her. But her love and devotion to the Empire's legacy was perhaps not so much as wanting to uphold Palpatine's beliefs, but because she did not wish to have had Thrawn die in vain.

Yes, she had loved Thrawn with all of herself; but she was more afraid of succumbing to her insanity again. To her, suicide would have seemed logical; it had taken her over a decade to at least get some vague assurance of loyalty from the Imperial Remnant, something that Thrawn had had from the start. To have that taken from her, or rather, for there to be a threat to lose her respect, it would have been enough to tip her over the edge.

She had decided to concede to the New Republic and offer a peace treaty; the remaining moffs had been unhappy, and more likely to support Thrawn to usurp her. Her life would have fallen apart, everything she had strived so hard, so pointlessly, to hold together would have collapsed inwards, and once again, the being she had married would become her taskmaster again; she'd find she was once again chained to someone who tried, but could not find it within himself to love her.

Pelleaon swore he would discover exactly what had occurred in the morning, when his interview with Flim would begin. The conman seemed willing to co-operate, even if it was out of fear of his life. Pelleaon wondered if Flim would regret his actions towards the Empress, knowing that it had probably tipped the scales in her choice.

He returned his attention to the holo, and his expression softened; it was an image of Dania, recorded after a successful deal with the moffs, her smile wide and her eyes shining. In the background, a former Bastion's bright yellow foliage and exotic plants made her simplistic elegance all the more effective. Age hadn't seemed to touch her, her face unlined, and her hair as dark as it had been the first time he'd met her. She was so sure of goodness in everyone, so unchanging; even after all the dark deeds that had occurred around her.

Which is what made his position all the more terrible. He should never have allowed himself to be drawn towards her. His attachment made her death all the more awful; Thrawn would never have allowed such a thing to happen to her, so why had he been unable to protect someone he had genuinely had feelings for? He had betrayed her. He had lost the Empire.

With a touch of sadness he sighed; Dania had not deserved to die alone. At least Thrawn had had the chance to die in battle, with honour, with his family nearby to mourn him. Their sorrow had been genuine. Few would miss Dania. With Illyana here, her right to Ascension would be cemented. If Illyana truly was her father's daughter, she would very quickly seize control and the loyalty of her people; and Dania's well-meant efforts would sink into obscurity

Tigellinus closed in on Dania.

There was nowhere to run; her eyes quickly cast about for a place to escape or jump from, but in this gown, movement was restricted. The figure advanced towards her, and even as she made to duck to the side, she felt a strong hand on her wrist, pulling her backwards to face him, fury emanating from him.

Her heart beat increased as she tried to think her way out of the situation. The flickering darkness of Tigellinus' eyes robbed her of hope, even as she fought against his restrictions. She felt the solid pillar at her back, and once again met his gaze, terrified of the repercussions of her actions, of even deigning to see Thrawn.

"Good evening, Dania." His white uniform opalescent in the darkness, Tigellinus' dark eyes flashed, gleaming with smugness at her discomfort. "I hope you don't mind, I need a private word with you…" She struggled to answer, paralysed by terror. As a man, and as an Admiral, he carried a great deal of weight against her pathetic existence as a Doll, and so, helplessly, she responded.

"Grand Admiral, I wondered where you were…" She stumbled with her words; geisha were supposed to know exactly what to say at all times; at present, she was too shocked to even be able to breath properly. His lips twitched from a smile of smugness to an ugly sneer of disgust.

Dania gasped for air; his body was pressed tightly to hers, squeezing the breath from it, his forearm restraining her collar. Their eyes were level as he pushed his full weight onto her, and she tried to hide the fear she felt suffocating her, cruel amusement playing on his features.

"Did you? I also wondered where you were, a few days ago." She felt flecks of spit touch her face; he was unbelievably angry at her, and he was not keeping it under very good control. For someone so usually measured, she wished she hadn't gotten onto the wrong side of him. "Mistress Roganda said you were cavorting with … the freak."

Roganda. Of course, she'd have had to have a hand in this. An image of the smug concubine, standing behind Palpatine, smiling at her misfortune of being placed with an alien, of all people…It would suit the concubine if she fell, before she was even given a chance to catch the Emperor's eye. But what had she done to anger Roganda? She was nobody, practically worthless.

"No agreement between us was made, Roganda-" She tried to get herself of the situation, tried to quieten the flames, but he wasn't buying the lie, he was using them as fuel for his rage. His hand was bought before her, and she felt it viciously slap across her cheek. Her ears rang with pain, and she raised her hand to her face, tasting blood on her lips. She looked up at him, eyes wide, still pinned tightly.

"I made my interest quite clear, Dania, when I sent you your gift…" The hand that had lashed out at her carefully touched her cheek, burying itself in her hair and undoing the pins that held it in place. She avoided his gaze; she had not seen the comb since the day she had been around to Thrawn's apartment. It had not seemed prudent to ask Thrawn why he might have kept it from her, even though it was probably worth of small fortune. "He took it from you, didn't he?

The words hung between them as the hand in her hair carefully fisted the locks, keeping her eyes focussed on him. Blood was flowing freely now, she felt it dribble down onto her bosom. His eyes carefully followed its progress, and she felt ice in her veins; it was not anger his eyes were darkened with, it was lust. Suddenly choked up, she grasped for breath desperately, fear making her panic.

"I cannot allow this slur, Dania, I hope you understand. You don't seem to want to accept responsibility, and so I will not offer you redemption. I'm sorry…" A finger slipped under the ribbon that held the jewel Thrawn had given he, and delicately tugged, pressure on her throat building, and then the ping of the gem hitting the hard floor. Making a sobbing noise, she felt his hands clawed at her dress, using the loose folds to pull her onto him, catching her lips in a bloody kiss, excited by her struggles. She groaned into the kiss, disgusted.

"You wouldn't dare…" She hissed, as they broke apart, his hands now at the folds of her dress, bodyweight holding her secure. Was he really so insulted that he felt he had to do this? Did he really think so little of aliens he'd rather ruin her this way? His reaction to her words was to restrain her neck again, forcing her to look into his eyes, at the pain she had caused, the wounded pride, and the intended punishment for such audacity.

"Wouldn't I? Do you really think they'd trust the word of a slut, willing to spread her legs for an alien, over a Grand Admiral?" Her eyes glared into his and his smile widened into a sneer. "Yes, you're a slut, you know you are. You can't deny it; you barely even fight against me…" In the split second he removed his weight from her she drove her palm into his face, shattering his nose, and ran, as fast as she could, down the Grand Corridor.

She barely had the time to wonder where she had learned such a move, before she fell to the floor, tackled by Tigellinus. Landing hard on the shining floor, she heard her wrist snap, before being grasped in a powerful fist and painfully twisted, turning her over from her stomach to her back. Looking no less powerful, and all the more aggressive with a broken nose, she was face to face with Tigellinus. And she knew this time she would not escape.

"Stop it, don't touch me…" A tear of fabric, and the outer fabric of the dress was ripped. Closing her eyes, she wondered how such a perfect evening had gone so wrong, how she had been stupid enough to allow herself to fall into this position, a virgin lying under the form of Rufaan Tigellinus, with no one able to help her…

She vaguely heard him command her to open her eyes, and then, his hands about her neck, squeezing life from her, her head hitting the floor repeatedly as his order kept coming. But she could not bring herself to look at him, at the bloodied mess that had once been a pleasant enough face, unable to deal with the reality of what was happening. Better that she just pass out and him damage her in whatever way he felt best suited her crime…

"Take your hands off her!" She had a sense of weightlessness, and then she was lifted to her feet. Two male voices spoke to each other, and then footsteps ran away. Gasping, she felt a rough fabric jacket wrapped around her shoulders, and a blue hand, tentatively opened her mouth, to check for anything inside. A voice reassured her, and then blackness claimed her.

Voss Parck leant back in the chair, dazed at the pace at which the evening had gone. It had not seemed ten minutes since he had planted the audio bug on Tigellinus, surreptitiously slipped into a pocket as he had spilled the wine. The exchange with Thrawn had been subtle, and enough to confuse their enemies who had been watching them.

What he had heard on the device had chilled him to the bone; Tigellinus had closed in on Dania, trapping her like an animal, his purposes most assuredly cruel. Upon hearing the Doll's voice over the audio line, he had made his excuses quickly, exiting the Audience Chamber to the Grand Corridor, Thrawn behind him.

Dania was lying on the floor, her attacker fleeing. He ran on, trying to catch the Grand Admiral in the act, or at least pretending to search. Tigellinus was not foolish enough to allow himself to get caught at a scene like this, and even though he and Thrawn knew it had been him behind the assault, they had no legal proof.

But knowledge was enough; Thrawn's aims of drawing a line in sand and of re-entering the political game had been achieved. Even as Voss Parck had returned from his fruitless pursuit, Thrawn had lifted the Doll to her feet, removing his uniform jacket to wrap around her shoulders, covering her modesty as members of Court flooding out of the chamber to see what had occurred. As he had escorted Dania away, whispers had rippled; exactly the response Thrawn had predicted would occur.

The young woman lay in the bed next to his chair, wearing the robe she had been given before by Thrawn, restless dreams making her toss and turn. Looking at her troubled face, he felt a pang of guilt; it was hardly fair to manipulate this –well, girl- like this. She barely understood Court, the tactics employed by those willing to kill to stay in favour. And she was, practically the right-hand of Thrawn's campaign, with no knowledge of how badly she was about to be screwed over. By Court, and by Thrawn, who just needed a pretty, naïve young face.

The door to the room opened, and Thrawn entered the darkened room, his eyes glowing in a demonic way through the shadows. He sat down on the bed, and lifted the broken wrist, opening the medpack he had retrieved, and carefully applying the bacta treatment to the damaged joint. Voss Parck watched, Thrawn almost afraid to touch her. Her title of Doll never seemed more appropriate; here Thrawn was, at the end of his game, fixing her up.

"When will you tell her?" The question hung between them as the alien leant forwards, pressing the treatment against her damaged lip, wiping the dried blood away with the other hand. Only then did Thrawn turn towards him, that glowing gaze all the more penetrating in the semi-darkness. Voss Parck held it, unwilling to submit to the eeriness.

"I won't. She played her part a little too well; I did not expect her to lash out at Tigellinus." Thrawn snapped the medpack shut again, and pulled the covers over her exposed shoulders. It seemed somehow ironic that she had ended up in his bed after their first night together. Who would have thought this mere girl would have the nerve to strike out at a Grand Admiral? A small smile lit his face; yes, she had the courage enough to stay in his little circle of allies.

"She hit him?" Parck said questioningly, sounding as surprised as Thrawn had felt when he had deduced it first. Thrawn nodded curtly, and then indicated tiny splashes of blood upon her visage he had not yet wiped off.

"The way blood has splashed on her reveals a singular upwards attack that probably broke, if not shattered, his nose. " He smiled. "Our little wallflower is not as shy as she thinks she is. There is nowhere else that blood came from; as you saw, her lip split, but that was allowed to run downwards. Tigellinus' rage against her will be all the more potent now; I am the only person she will accept to protect her now."

"But why, Thrawn? What makes this girl so special?" Thrawn's expression was unreadable, his eyes fixed, unmoving on the pone figure of Dania, lying in her troubled dreams. There was no hint to his emotion in either his body language, and he offered no explanation. Parck wondered if perhaps he had intruded too far. Thrawn explained his motives only when appropriate, preferring to keep his plans to himself. Whatever the reason for his need for secrecy, he did not wish to intrude upon Thrawn's privacy.

Finally, after a minutes silence, Thrawn looked at Voss, an almost reflective expression on his face. Parck's feelings of concern evaporated, and he moved forward on his chair, to hear the better.

"A time ago, when I was a commander for the Expansionary Fleet, I meet humans for the first time, three Corellian traders whose pursuers I destroyed. We had an exchange of sorts, in which I learnt Basic from them, in exchange for some mediocre trading goods. One of the traders was a young woman called Maris, and it was from her I learnt a great deal of your Old Republic and various other issues. Dania reminds me a lot of her."

"But why should her similarity to a ghost of the past affect you?" Parck pressed onwards, interest piqued. He had heard very little about Thrawn's past; as his mentor, he had not cared, as no details had been offered. As his subordinate officer, it had not been his place. And as his friend, it had never seemed fair to ask such personal questions.

"Maris was very much the idealist, and in those days, I too was alike her, to a degree. Since then, I have become somewhat bitter; my ideals have been warped for my own selfish reasons. Maris was at my side for a number of arguably pre-emptive strikes, forever the voice of my conscience. When she left, I found that my own disdain for my people's morals went with her." He sighed gently, Parck wouldn't have noticed it from anyone, but such an action was rare for Thrawn. Revealing his past, even to Parck, had been a task for him. "Dania's presence is a reminder of the cruelty of some of my decisions; of the effects my manipulation has on others. I suppose she could also be seen as my responsibility. Naiveté brings its own unique insight that I often overlook in my experience."

"She makes you nostalgic?" Parck understood, all of a sudden, he had an insight into the alien's mind. He had lost a great deal, Parck could tell, when he had joined the Empire, and before that, when he had been exiled. Dania represented a figure from his past, of whom he had privately been fond, and it was with her loss that everything had gone wrong. He had never known Thrawn be sentimental like this, it was something of a paradox; she was both prized by him, and considered a burden.

"To a degree. But we will have to tread very carefully around her; she's the key to our success, but she could also bring us crashing down." Voss Parck looked towards the window, suddenly aware of light flooding the room; the sun rose carefully over Coruscant, its rays reaching into their room, enlightening and gently warming the occupants. Voss smiled, despite himself. The immediate future looked bright, and he very much looked forward to meeting it.

"And with, Illyana, your mother, Captain Parck and I took Court by storm; I doubt anyone was as successful as fast as we were. We rose through Court, building a powerbase, and silent support for my ulterior plans for the Unknown Regions. But as to what happened…you must solve the next piece of the puzzle. This piece should have been found in the hands of the Supreme Commander of the Empire, be that your mother, or be it Captain Pelleaon.

The next piece is in the possession of the New Republic, concealed on the planet I took you for your first public appearance. You may be confused as to the purpose of this game; consider them a way for me to continue to guide and advise you.

If you have this datapad, then I have failed in my mission; it is left to you to continue it, and I am fully confident in my Empire's Commanders to have trained you to be the leader I hope you will be. I did not plan to leave you; but I have had to make arrangements in case of betrayal. I have no use for you to be a warrior-leader, aggressive and domineering, bent on conquest. I want you to have a higher purpose than that, whatever it may be. If you choose to turn back, and remain in the Empire of the Hand, or if you choose to bring the two parts together, be fair, and be just.

I have soiled my hands so that you will be able to be a fair and virtuous leader; I very much doubt I could stop now. It is my hope that you hold your mother's strength of belief in the goodness and beauty within all things, and I wish that you hold onto it, as it will serve you better in the long run to be as your mother is.

I have no regrets, Illyana, except not having made the galaxy a safer place for you to be born into; incredibly selfish perhaps, but I never meant to hurt you. Forgive me my absence from your life, and I wish you luck with your negotiations."

The datapad fell silent. Illyana placed it down on the table before her, and put her face in her hands, shock overcoming her. Thrawn's abilities were awesome, she realised, even more so than she had thought. To have anticipated a move against him, and to have this contingent plan in place just for her…

Also, he had a fairly good estimation of what would have befallen the Empire; he knew of the negotiations, somehow, he had known. And he had known of her confusion, of retreating to an Empire, where she had no enemies or animosity to fight against, or of claiming what had been given to her by birthright.

Placing the next piece of the puzzle on Honoghr had been genius; she remembered the day she had gone there perfectly, her lack of vision not detracting from the amazing change of sensory perception; all her life she had spent on a Star Destroyer made for very dull, very repetive experiences. For all its apparent backwardness, the planet had been an amazing revelation. It would be a day she would never forget; and so it was perfect place to hide technology for her to discover.

On another level, it was also a subtle indicator that the peace treaty with the New Republic was the best option; there was no way she could ever go to Honoghr without peace being announced between the two organisations. Sighing, she leaned to grope for the pad before her, tapping keys in the correct order to set up a long range communication. Carefully calming herself, she spoke loudly, and clearly, voice free of any accent as she sent the communication back to Niruauan.

Leaning back in the chair, she wondered if she had been premature in announcing her arrival; should she have perhaps remained secret, until she could have been sure of the intentions of Pelleaon, as Voss Parck had recommended. She smiled; the old general had always been in her life, first as a supporter, then a mentor, and when she came of age, a trusted advisor.

For a brief period, he had also been her commanding officer; but despite her inexperience, she had excelled in leadership. Had it also been the same with her father? She knew Parck and Thrawn went back quite a long way, further than her mother had. He always spoke of her mother with gentle tones, as if recalling something pleasant, and yet painful. Her father, as he seemed to have a habit of, amongst both Chiss and Human, was recalled with echoes of reverence and loyalty; she sometimes feared the Empire of the Hand only served her out of respect for her father.

But she was not him, and she never would reach his achievements, or be able to be measured up to him. Yes, she shared in his Exile, and it was arrogant of her to continue to use his Family name without the permission of the Family. The Chiss that served the Hand at first, at least, had considered her to be something of an abomination, kept locked away in the High Tower like some kind of half-blood freak.

A slight vibration and she carefully touched the communicator on her collar. With a feeling of nervousness, she realised they had arrived. No one would dare disturb her otherwise.

"Supreme Commander, I assume we have reached the rendezvous?" She let none of her nervousness tough her voice, speaking clearly and authoritatively. It mattered not what she felt on the inside, the image of integrity was essential for her to maintain, if she was ever going to become a successful leader.

"Yes, Ma'am. The representatives from the New Republic are launching a shuttle as we speak. They are willing to meet with you and negotiate the full terms of our surrender."

"Very good, Supreme Commander." She paused, considering how best to word the next part. Pellaeon had taken good care of her mother, had been a loyal confidante to her father, and had guarded her birthright as well as he was able. And here she was, sweeping him aside. She could not bring herself to simply dismiss him. "Will you join me at the designated meeting room? As a negotiator of more experience, I would value your presence."

"It would be an honour, Ma'am" His voice distinctly perked up, and as he signed off, she allowed a smile to her lips.

Half-Human, half-Chiss; but a complete person, nonetheless.

As she had with the Empire of the Hand, she would earn the approval, the respect and the trust of the Galaxy; and she would do it to protect the citizens from the terrible invasion her father knew would be coming. Standing up slowly, she allowed her lips to widen into a perfect smile. How she relished a challenge.

Author's Note: Okay, I need to give all my readers the buzz. From now on, all updates will be in Inertia II, the second part of this trilogy. Partly because it follows the pattern of great Star Wars tradition, and partly because it means I can cut out all the pointless months between events, Inertia will be continued as another story.

I've written this fic in rather a short space of time; because of exams, and the lack of time before they arrive, Inertia II will be updated a lot less frequently; but it WILL be completed. Illyana and Dania are very important to me, and I could never leave a fanfiction incomplete.

As always, reviews, comments, and queries are always welcome. Please feel free to contact me through just to whet your appetites for what is to come…

…Illyana returns to the Noghri Homeworld…

…Dania's true purpose is revealed…

…Thrawn is betrayed…

…the Heir to the Empire is discovered…

…A former ruler is buried, and another announced….

I know what really happened in OBF, and Thrawn's reasoning, but I did not think Thrawn would reveal too much of his past to even Voss Parck.


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